


Anything To Say You're Mine

by Birdfluff



Series: What Could Have Been [3]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Electrical Shock Torture, Emotional Manipulation, Existentialism, Feral Behavior, Hate Sex, M/M, Masturbation, Obsessive Behavior, Port Touching, Recreational Drug Use, Stalking, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-11-25 16:09:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 35,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20914859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Birdfluff/pseuds/Birdfluff
Summary: Katagawa managed to survive his seemingly fatal Zer0 tech suit malfunction and he now lives in an abandoned sewer system underneath Promethea with nothing to his name, except a piece of old tech he found at Helios' crash set before the war.





	1. Chapter 1

Katagawa Jr. was barely alive. He kept blipping throughout the city until he finally stayed in one place long enough to rip out the suit’s motherboard, which was the worst idea he ever had. It about killed him. His heart pulsed weakly as he fought against his lungs that begged to collapse. He could hear the sound of ratches scuttling around him between wheezes. He laid there, helplessly, as if waiting for someone to scoop him away and patch him up, but the moment never came. It replayed in his head constantly. It was forever a nightmare of how pathetic and vulnerable he was. How it was his own damn fault to put on the suit to try to pry Rhys from the Vault Hunter’s clutches.

Katagawa slowly rose from his bed and surveyed the old sewer pipe line that was abandoned in mid production. His home. Everything he owned was taken from the junkyard nearby, from the monitors, to the clothes on his back, his double mattress, which was just two old mattresses he stacked on top of each other, and a roomba that he reprogrammed to fly around so it could clean his space without falling on its back. His routine was simple. Spy on Rhys from his reprogrammed pleasure sphere that he found by the docks by day, and hunt for his week’s worth of food at night via digging through Promethea’s dumpsters and trash cans, or, if there was no one around, he would hack the burgerbots into giving him free meals and drinks. He lived for those nights and two nights ago was particularly juicy and not in the food category.

His pleasure sphere hid inside Atlas’ ship and sailed undetected with the CEO to Eden-6 and recorded the night. His blood boiled with jealousy as he growled at the screen showing how affectionate the CEO was getting with this lowlife bandit. After reviewing the footage, he grabbed the best shots and hacked the ECHOnews and let the public do the work for him. It was perfect bait to lure Rhys out to him. He would have to be desperate enough to do anything to clear his little friend’s name and Katagawa wasn’t wrong. He wasn’t expecting him to encourage the idea that he was in a relationship with a cleancut bandit who was now his newest addition to his team. 

“That should be me!!” He threw his chair onto the floor in rage, slurring colorful profanities left and right until he wore himself out. He flopped onto his bed, sulking for another ten minutes before he popped up. “Wait… I-I can still fix this…! I can fix this!”

He got up to set his sphere to auto mode and reposition his chair, rolling it over to the right side of his desk. He opened the drawer labelled “for emergencies”.

He wasn’t through with Rhys. Even if Katagawa didn’t have a hundred dollar bill to his name, his original goal remained untampered. Atlas will be his and Rhys will have to be his friend. Maybe even a little more. Katagawa had been studying Rhys longer than the war had started. After Pandora’s plant apocalypse, Helios laid untampered and ripe for plundering any information about Rhys. Since Hyperion had no sense of privacy, everything was recorded for blackmail and Katagawa took advantage of that. It was most likely worth billions to the right bidder. He could sell Rhys’ dirty secrets to people who could really do some damage to his reputation, but what fun would that be? No one would be able to do it right. Not even the Calypsos. No money was worth losing all this beautiful code and videos of the CEO in his Hyperion days. He may have taken snapshots and printed more than too much out to hang on his walls. Rhys was cute without a mustache.

There was something he wasn’t expecting to find among all the rubble in Helios that somehow remained untouched. Back on the Zanara, he scanned it for fingerprints and found that it was a piece of an eye that belonged to Rhys. When he finally looked through the footage, it stopped after Helios crashed, but, after reviewing the cameras in Handsome Jack’s old office turned museum, it was clear that Rhys carried the AI of Hyperion’s dead CEO in his brain. Now, _that_ was juicy.   
Katagawa scanned the ECHO eye’s info into the system and saw that the chip was corrupted in some spots. After finding a script of Nakayama’s code, he fixed it out of pure curiosity. If this AI was inside Rhys since he left for Pandora, he had to have known more information about the man. Something he could use. Before he could reactivate the AI, news of Calypsos came through his feed and his plans were pushed aside until today. 

He withdrew the ECHOeye and studied it in his palm. He wasn’t going to try to plant the AI into his brain. He had two cybernetic arms and after seeing what Jack did to Rhys, he knew that was a bad idea. He needed a proper host that wasn’t half human. Katagawa looked to the roomba.

“... That’ll work.”

However, he paused to wonder whether or not the AI would willingly work with him. He had Handsome Jack’s personality after all and a gruesome habit of murdering people. He would have to mull over a negative reinforcement that would be effective for an AI. After three hours of repurposing the cleaning instrument and testing out the holographics he found in the junkyard, it was time. The robot was still able to clean but he was sure that whenever Jack moved around it would respond. If not, he had his whole life to figure out what didn’t work… unless Zer0 found him. He hoped Zer0 wouldn’t look here. It would be a pain to move all his equipment to another failed pipeline or something. Carefully, he aligned the ECHOeye into the projector and closed the lid, setting the roomba down. He waited.

And he waited. And waited. 

“Jack. Jaaaack. I need you to work with me here. I know you’re in there.” He picked up a tiny remote from his desk. “And if you don’t come out I will shock you until you do. Don’t make me count, Jack.”

Suddenly, a thought appeared in his head. 

“Did I turn it on?” He poked the button and the roomba purred to life and he laughed from embarrassment. “Ah. Wow. My, am I off my game today.”

He winced when the robot jittered, bringing his legs up onto the chair seat. He watched as the roomba smashed itself into the desk a few times until it physically quivered and the holographics turned on. Slowly, a form built itself up from 1s and 0s as the AI carefully recrafted itself from last memory. His pose was midrun. His hands were in front and away from his body, as if trying to grab something. When his face constructed, it was filled with horror and desperation. 

As the top of his hair finally finished, the AI lurched forward, “NOOO--!”

Jack stumbled to a stop, whirling around in confusion. The once great Handsome Jack never looked so vulnerable. He patted his body as if to make sure he was alive. “What is this…? How-- Where am I? Why am I green? Am I attached to a freakin’ roomba?! What the fuck!?”

After adjusting his hoodie, Katagawa cleared his throat to disguise his excitement as he spun his chair around to face him, “Welcome back to the world, Handsome Jack.”

Jack turned and looked him over with knitted brows. Then upon his lips grew a smile of ill intent. Katagawa was impressed with how fast he recomposed himself. “Yyeaaah, and uhhh, and who should I be thanking?”

“Katagawa Jr., it’s a pleas--.”

“Katasawa?”

His eye twitched. “Gawa. Kata-gawa.”

“Yeah, yeah, kid, I heard you the first time. So, where on Pandora is this--?” He finally noticed the numerous photos of Rhys hanging on the walls. He squinted at the ones near the bed “The hell is all this? Why do you have like… hundreds of photos of-- is that Rhys? Good to know he still has no sense of fashion. Man, you really like giving this guy a mustache. That is dedication, right there.”

Flushing red, Katagawa shrank into his shoulders, thankful that Jack wasn’t looking at him. “You’re on Promethea, Jack. Home of Atlas.”

Jack snorted into a long laugh. “Promethea?! That shithole?! That place’s got nothing but broken glass and bankruptcy files.”

“Yes, well, ten years can turn a planet around.”

“Te--Ten? Whoa, whoa, whoa! Kid.” He gestured at him with his index fingers. “You did not say ten years.”

“I absolutely said ten years.”

He was still pointing at him. His face displayed unadulterated panic that stunned the ex-CEO. “No. No, no, that can’t be right! I’ve been gone for ten years? I’ve been stuck in that LOOP for _ten years_?! Everything just-- went on without me?”

“That is how life works...” Katagawa wasn’t expecting the AI to have a life crisis. He soon recalled how impressed he was with Nakayama’s work, when the Zanara still soared the skies, but he had no idea that he put so much into Jack’s AI that he could develop complex emotions. This was something to study further. Katagawa rose from his chair. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I’m fine.” He bit back, “I’m Handsome Jack. I’ve dealt with things worse than... losing time again.”

“Again?”

“Ye-you don’t want to hear the whole story, Junior. It’s a long and boring one and I honestly did not get the whole picture since I was zoned out a lot in the beginning. Lemme keep it short and say bad decisions were made and it was all his fault.” He waved his hand over the wall of photos. He looked them over again, his expression slowly turning into disgust. “Why do I keep getting paired with creepy obsessive people. What did I do in my past life to deserve-- I did murder a lot of people when I was alive, that’s probably one of the reasons. And why Rhys of all people? What has that lameass ever done?”

Katagawa didn’t feel like sitting through another existential crisis by explaining that he wasn’t the real Handsome Jack nor was he tolerating the AI’s casual insults. His hands balled into fists. “I’ll have you know that lameass is the CEO of Atlas. The very same man that rose this sad corporation like a phoenix from the ashes!”

Jack’s hard laughter was equivalent to a chicken’s bawk. “Are we talking about the same kid?! C’mon, Rhysie wouldn’t be able to pull his own weight without me telling him what to do. Someone like him cannot run a business like Atlas.”

“The proof is on the wall if you’re literate, Jack. And for the record, the mustache is real and he wears it just fine.”

“Don’t equivate me to bandits, Junior… Wait, I’m sorry, did you say that Rhys grew that pubic hair on purpose? Wow, after ten years and he’s still making bad choices. At least something stayed the same. Hey, that’s my pose! Ohhh, you must be soooo proud of yourself, huh, pumpkin? You know the only reason why Rhys is in charge of Atlas is because he stole it from me! I owned Atlas and I was going to turn it into a giant Handsome Jack amusement park and everything would have my face on it. What does Rhys even have? He probably did something stupid with it like… like, uh… Why am I drawing a blank? Hold on, I’ll think of something.”

Katagawa carefully approached him. “I don’t understand, it’s been a decade. Are you still mad at him because he rejected your offer for Hyperion?”

“Still mad?” With the flying roomba projecting his form, Jack stood about a half a foot taller than him and Katagawa found that aggravating when the AI leaned over him. “I AM LIVID! HE threw me out! Let me make this clear to you, kid. There was no time gap. Up until five minutes ago I was reliving, at 2 frames a second, Rhys tearing me out of his goddamn head! Why do you think I came out here screaming!”

“But I reviewed the footage, you were inside the mainframe of Helios itself.” 

“And I got out and back into that idiot’s head so I could kill him! Look how well that turned out! Gawd, I still want to wrap my hands around his scrawny neck. I was so close...”

“So, you were stuck in that animation for a decade-- well, technically eleven years, if we’re talking about the exact date Helios crashed and I’m assuming you quote unquote died in that time, since Rhys survived the crash. Interesting… I wonder if I could read your data more intensively.”

Jack backed up. “He-eeeyyy, I don’t like where that look is going. You are not touching me, kay, pumpkin? I just got here… somehow. And, wow, you look like a drug addict, kid. Did some psycho pay you with me for some meth and in your high you decided to put me into a roomba for shits and giggles?”

“No. Before the war--”

“War?”

“The war with the Calypso Twins. I worked with them.” Jack continued to give him a blank stare. “They were sirens.”

“Were?”

“The Vault Hunters killed them. They were gods to all life on Pandora, they had potential to rule the whole galaxy and they failed.”

“They were SIRENS and they couldn’t finish what I started?! Were those chicks even trying?”

“One identified as male, Jack.”

“Dude and chick.” He corrected before groaning, “Come ooooooon, they could have crushed planets with that kind of power and you say they had potential? Name one planet they destroyed. Go on. Tell me.”

“Hmm… None of them.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Angel didn’t destroy any planets.”

The AI’s shoulders raised at her name. “... She worked for me and I wasn’t going to let her kill anything. That was my job.”

“That sounds like a waste.”

“It wasn’t,” He snapped, “because I knew what I was doing. And I was…! I was keeping her safe.”

“And that sure did turn out well… As I was saying before you interrupted me, before the war, I was curious about Atlas’ new CEO, so I did my research and found out he was an old Hyperion code monkey. I went down to Pandora and scavenged, recovered film from security cameras, and I stumble upon a piece of an ECHOeye lying there undisturbed. You were safe but corrupted in a few places. I fixed you.”

“Uh-huh?”

“You were interesting, because that little disk in that roomba survived Pandora for so long. Granted, it was behind a lot of vines that kept out weathering, which might play a part in it.” He shrugged. “I fixed you because you were in Rhys’ head. You must know how he ticks.”

Jack scoffed. “Rhys is a gullible dumbass who sticks his head in the wrong places, constantly. And he kept scanning mushrooms and it nearly drove me insane. There you go. That’s how his brain works. He’s an asshole and I want him dead.”

“Look at that, we have something in common and we both failed to kill him.”

Piquing his interest, Jack shifted his weight onto one foot and folded his arms as he looked the ex-CEO over. “Really? You haven’t told me your whole deal, kid.”

“Would you like to know what happened for the past eleven years? I can feed you data.” He tapped the monitor awake and began to type. “If you let me plug you up, I’ll let you browse through the archives. Going through here would be much faster than me trying to elaborate from my perspective. There’s plenty of blog posts these days about the changes from planet to planet. You can check companies. You can see how Hyperion is doing, which they are actually doing fairly well without you. Your old friend Jeffrey seems to be doing fine. I know your old girlfriend died ages ago, but I can pull up some things about Lynchwood and how it’s been without her. I believe they reelected a new sheriff recently after the old deputy died from dysentery. Don’t ask me how that correlates, Pandora is a nightmare, I’m sure you’re aware-- Um, hello? You’re in my space.”

Jack stood behind him with a menacing gaze that bored into his soul, his voice so low that it might as well be a growl. “Who are you, kid? And what do you want with me?”

Katagawa leaned comfortably on his desk as he ignored his second question. “I was the CEO of Maliwan.”

“Huh.” He countered, scrutiny in his tone, “That would explain the stupid eye.”

“It’s not stupid!”

“Uh, yeah it is. Seriously, an M? You’re just as bad as Rhys.”

“I’d be very careful with what you say to me.” His thumb hovered over the button.

“Oooooh, yeah, sure, kiddo. That’s coming from someone who lives in a frickin’ sewer drain.”

“I gave you life, and I can smother it.” Katagawa stated coolly with a smile, as if acknowledging the weather. That made the AI’s face tick into a glimpse of fear. For proper effect, he stepped on the roomba and pushed it into the metal. Reacting to the pressure, Jack stumbled for balance, waving his arms around until he fell onto his rear. Katagawa leered at him. “Do you want to go back to the void, John? Repeating the same event in two frames a second, for the rest of eternity?”

His lips curled into a deep frown. For a while, neither of them said a thing as they stared each other down. Finally, he stood to his full height, his nose raised. “Alright, pumpkin, you win. You asserted yourself in the only way I respect. Now get off me.”

“With pleasure, Jack. And now that we _respect_ each other...” He plopped down onto his chair and rolled to the computer. “Let’s get you familiarized with the world, shall we?”

Jack didn’t reply but Katagawa could see him leaning over his desk out of the corner of his eye. He watched him sort through the ECHOnet without a word. Katagawa occasionally took sneaky glances at the AI and his expression remained the same: contemplation.

“I might as well give you some insider information that these blogs can’t with there being a distinct bias. As the youngest, I was the last person to be heir to Maliwan, so I killed my brothers and sisters to speed up the process. People constantly confuse it that I was under the guise of the Calypso Twins. That I was a ‘poor misunderstood baby boy’.” He grumbled, roughly tapping the holoscreen. “No one takes you seriously when you’re the youngest of _twelve_ siblings, not even when you destroy your bloodline. They just think you’re some pathetic, forgotten child with parental issues. Family means nothing to me.”

Jack shrugged. “Hey, I murdered my mom and sent bandits on my grandmother who abused me for years. I know how that is.”

“Yes, I have read your files.”

“Oh, I got that idea, cupcake. What else do you know about me?”

“Your wife’s name.”

Katagawa lived by his rule that he used on Rhys. Elicit fear into the hearts of your friends and enemies so they know not to betray you. Handsome Jack was the kind of person to provide a false sense of trust before snapping your neck when you gave him what he wanted, like Harold Tassiter. Before he could trust Jack to get his plan into motion, he needed to break him.

“... I’m calling your bluff, Junior.” He tried to grab his neck but his hands went through him. “Goddammit! There is no way in hell you know her name!”

“Honey Jakobs. You lived with her on Pandora while you slaved away on Helios, planning Pandora’s purge. You always promised her a life beyond Pandora, beyond this galaxy, in a world where you two could truly be happy. Then she bore your prized siren daughter, Angel, who murdered your poor Honey because she couldn’t control her pow--”

“_Shut up_!!” His voice crackled from stress and bounced off the metal piping, pounding Katagawa’s ears. “GOD! I wish I could kill you! You piece of shit!! How the hell did you-- No, I don’t want to know!”

“It’s hard to accept not being in charge anymore.” He said, matter-of-factly, “Believe me, I know.”

“Oh, and I’m sure you’re getting off on this. You know what? Whatever reason you brought me back, I don’t want a part of it. Fuck you. Fuck your sob story. I’m gone.” He maneuvered the flying roomba around his chair and darted toward the daylight in the distance.

“No, fuck you.” He held down the trigger and an electric charge surged through the AI that sent him onto the ground screaming from pain. Katagawa watched him writhe and squirm until he finally let go. 

As the shock abruptly stopped, Jack gasped and coughed, holding his chest. “Awgh, fuck… Shit… What did you do to me…? Why can I-- That’s new. Ow...”

“I programmed you with the ability to feel pain. I got inspired from those old Claptrap designs. It’ll teach you cooperation, John. If you try to leave my sight again, I’ll happily give you another demonstration.”

“Fuck off… Oh, I hate your guts...”

“That doesn’t make you special. Come on, I’ve got the archive ready for you.” He waved around a USB cord that was plugged into the computer. When Jack looked to him, Katagawa cooed, mockingly, “If you’re nice and you cooperative, like a good boy, you don’t get shocked. Deal?”

Katagawa let him lay there for a while so he could properly get his bearings. Eventually, Handsome Jack wobbled onto his feet and trudged back to the ex-CEO’s lair with a scowl on his face. “Deal.”

“Wonderful! Your friendship is appreciated.”

“You’ve got some fucked up definition of friendship, kid.”

“As if you’re one to talk, Jack.” He inserted the cord into the hole on the front of the roomba and he watched the AI glitch and blink in and out of sight until the archives finished downloading into his system. Before yanking it out, he briefly checked to make sure Jack was safe when he appeared once more. “How do you feel?”

“Like I’m going to vomit, but I can’t vomit because I don’t have a stomach-- did you give me a stomach?! I hate this! What did you do to me…?”

“I upgraded you.” He said simply, tilting his head slightly. “Doesn’t this make more sense now?”

“Oh, sure, I’m just so empowered by this knowledge. I am so beyond enlightened-- Change. Me. Back. Now.”

“Ah-ah-ah, tone.” He held up the remote and he grinned at how Jack squirmed. “And no. You need me as much as I need you, Jack, and if you want to kill Rhys, you will do as I say.”

“That’s your plan?”

“My original plan was to take over Promethea with Rhys by my side, but since he refused me... Mr. Strongfork as a corpse is just as good for me.”

“Christ, why couldn’t you said all this in the goddamn first place? What was the point of all of this?!”

“You gain control off of people fearing you. Why not give you a taste of how it feels to lose control?”

Handsome Jack ogled at him with mixed emotions. “That is… Okay, you did your research, you pegged me down, you put me in this freakin’ cleaning robot so I can’t kill you, you’ve got a torture remote… I hate to admit it but I’m impressed, Katagawa, and a little bit turned on.”

He made a face. “You must be, you said my name correctly.”

“I mean, yeah, you’ve like, totally earned my respect, kid.”

Katagawa straightened up in his chair. “I have? After all that manipulation?”

“What can I say? You remind me of me when I was your age.”

“I’m about twenty years younger than you, give or take.”

“Ehhhh, you’re still a kid. C’mon, what’s the plan?” He sat down in the air, as if he was on a throne. “How are we going to take control of Promethea?”

“‘We’?” Katagawa repeated with a sly smile.

“Uh, yep. That’s what I said. You said that we were friends, _sooo_ that meansss we work as a team. What’s first, Kat? You clearly got that stalker thing going for you so you’ve got some kind of route planned so we can kill Rhysie. Pitch it to me…. Why are you quiet?”

“It’s not that I don’t.” the ex-CEO replied slowly, “It’s just been um… hard to find a route, because when they won the war, everything became… difficult.”

“Every single army has a pattern, cupcake. There’s always an opening.”

“Yes-- except there’s a lot of soldiers. It’s been harder to keep tabs on him since my camera’s been getting sighted in the ECHOnews...”

“And no one’s shot at it?”

“Not yet.”

“Aaand no one’s tried to follow it?”

“Oh, they have and they stopped when I kept leading his soldiers to the more deadly places on Promethea.”

“But they know you’re targeting Rhys.”

“They never stated it in the articles.”

“Of course, they don’t say it for the freakin’ public to see that means they know! I thought you were smarter tha-- Hey now.” He put his hands up when he saw Katagawa lifting a finger to the trigger with a small laugh. “It’s called teasing, Kat. It’s what friends do.”

“Why are you calling me a cat?”

“K-A-T. Kata--whatever is a dick of a name to pronounce all the time. It feels like my mouth is swollen when I say it. Give me some leeway.” Jack sat up. “You’ve never had a real friend, have you?”

Katagawa blinked. “Of course, I’ve had real friends. I had plenty in my youth. I tortured them whenever they spoke badly about me or didn’t do what I wanted and they obeyed me ever since.”

“Yeah, alright,” Jack shook his head with an amused smile. “Let’s not dig into that right now. Anyway, how long has this been going on?”

“I’m unsure. It feels like possibly...” the ex-CEO’s face shifted. “What is today? Hold on-- I get food every seven days, which I need to do tonight, and I’ve been doing that ever since my suit malfunction which was… was… Only three and a half months ago? I thought it was a year...”

The AI gazed at him with wide blinking eyes. “Uh, Kat? Hey, it--”

“I don’t need your pity!” He suddenly snapped, making Jack draw back. “I’m fine!”

“Oooooookaaaaay, wow, we are just not having a good time today.”

“It--it doesn’t… it does NOT matter how long I’ve been doing this. What matters is that we make Rhys suffer for what he did to both of us--! _Wheeze_\-- you read up what I tried to do to him. The COV scandal. And now because of me, his little bandit best friend I wanted to frame is now his accountant and everyone fucking loves him. That should have been me--!” His stress forced him into a coughing fit that lasted for a solid minute as his face turned blue. His weak lungs gagged for air as Katagawa clutched his chest. With each shaking wheeze, he could feel tears streaming down his face. He knew Jack was watching him too. He hissed, faintly. “Fuck.”

He slammed his cybernetic hands into the chair’s arms and coughed into a shorter fit.

Handsome Jack slowly opened his mouth. “You, uh, need an inhaler?”

“No...” He wheezed, shakingly pointing at the top half of what was left of his Zer0 tech that was splayed at the end of his bed. “That suit about killed me. I’m still healing from --_Coughcough_\-- I just need a second.”

“You... wanna lie down?” Although Katagawa could only see shapes and colors, he could tell that Jack was profoundly uncomfortable.

“I can’t rest. Progress doesn’t sleep.” He inhaled deeply, counting on his fingers. After a while, he wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve and sat up straighter. “We are never to speak of this again… Is that clear?”

“Speak of what?”

“... Good.”

“So...” Jack pushed slowly after a waft of awkward silence. “It sounds like you want to make Rhys suffer with… whatever you just said.”

“Yes… Last time it was effective, destroying everything he loved with a giant laser. But that bandit seems to be what he cares about the most, since he couldn’t keep his damn hands off him.”

“You’re going to play homewrecker, then?”

“Ideally. However, I cannot touch them in Atlas HQ. I can’t get close to the building without the turrets locking onto the bot.”

“So we just have to wait until one of them comes out?”

“That is easier said than done. I have an assassin after me and they’re good. You know of them.”

“It’s that guy that talks in haikus, isn’t it? Of course.” Jack rolled his eyes and leaned back. “It just has to be harder… Can’t you use that suit again?”

“It’s beyond repair. I would have to make it from scratch and the junkyard does not have the kind of equipment that Zer0 tech uses.”

“You got all this from a junkyard?”

He shrugged, “People will throw anything away. I just had to throw out the shit with mold on it and replace it with another that I patched up. It’s a whole thing.”

“And why live in a sewer of all places? I mean, I’m not bothered by it because you didn’t program me with nose sensors, thank god.”

Katagawa snickered. “It’s been abandoned for years when Rhys first started Atlas and stopped putting money into it. It’s actually cleaner than you’d think. And it’s far enough away from the city that I’m out of reach. I think ahead of my opponents. They expect me to live disguised on the streets, so I go out of my way in a place where I know they won’t look.”

“You just love patting yourself on the back, huh.”

“I’m a proud sewer dweller. I’m still alive after all.”

“That’s another thing I wanted to ask. Along with like, how and where the hell do you get power? You even got a freezer down here! How has no one tracked you here?”

“That’s a long boring explanation that I do not feel like going into. But I assure you that we are safe here...” Katagawa opened his palm as his ECHOeye linked into the pleasure bot’s feed. “Enhance.”

Handsome Jack snorted.

“What?”

“A decade of advancing technology and you still say ‘enhance’?”

His answer was a disgusted glare before he returned to the video. “Looks like Rhys’ bodyguard still has not returned...”

Jack peered over his shoulder and squinted. “Who’s the short guy?”

“I thought you’d know who he was. It’s Vaughn.”

“Shortstack? Man, he let himself go… Is he still yoked?”

“... Is he what?”

“Yoked. You know, packing it?”

Katagawa stared.

“Don’t look at me like I’m the weird one here!” He said gesturing to the wall of Rhys photos. “You can’t judge me.”

“I just didn’t think of you having--”

“If you finish that sentence...”

“You’ll do what?” He asked with a laugh. “You can’t touch me, old man.”

The AI glowered at him as he grumbled to himself.

Katagawa closed the feed, standing up and stretching out his back. “Don’t be so grumpy. You’ll live.”

“You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“It’s been a while since I had someone to talk to. Why would I not enjoy this?” He stooped down and picked up the roomba.

“Whoa-- Hey!” The roomba’s thrusters pulled Jack out of his grasp. “What are you doing?!”

“Oh. You’re adjusting well to your model quickly. Very impressive. You are the most exquisite AI I’ve ever come across.” Katagawa lightly placed his thumb on top of the remote trigger. “Don’t be shy, Jack. I just want a better look, make some more adjustments until you’re perfect for tonight.”

“Ah-haha jokes on you, kid, I’m already perfect.”

“Then why are you backing away from me?”

“Oh, well, gee, it’s probably because I didn’t give you my permission to touch me like that. Since you’re clearly new to this whole friendship thing, real people give consent--”

“You’re not real, Jack. You’re just a ghost of the real deal. Nothing but a database of preinstalled memories and personality that don’t belong to you.” He pressed the button and watched the AI hit the ground alongside the cleaning bot, crying in agony. Jack’s form snapped and sparked as the shock surged through him until he finally released the button. Picking up the roomba once more, he pressed the off switch. “I own you, _Jackie_, and I’ll do whatever I want with you. You’ll learn this soon.”

Night sunk in as Katagawa finally finished the last of the upgrades and snapped the piece of plastic back into the bot. He was about to press the power button when he stopped himself. He found himself thinking back on what the AI said hours ago. When he was offline, even though he wasn’t plugged in, something in his programming forced him to relive his last remaining seconds. No doubt as of now, Jack was going through being shocked over and over again. Katagawa could leave for Meridian Metroplex without him, but he craved for company. He had someone who would stay with him and never leave his side. Someone who was unable to die. He just needed to gain his trust.

He pressed the on button and placed the bot onto the floor. After hearing it’s start up noise, the projector activated and Handsome Jack reformed almost immediately. He was standing up with his arms out and to the side, his eyes wide open. There was no expression on his face.

Puzzled, Katagawa stood up and circled the roomba, “Jack? Jack, respond. Hey. Hey!” He waved his hand over his face a few times and put his arm through him for good measure but the AI didn’t respond. He put his hand to his mouth in thought as he traced back through his steps with rising concern in his stomach. “Shit, I must have messed up the code somewhere. No, I couldn’t have. I-I double check--”

Suddenly, Jack moved towards him. “BAH!”

With a shrill scream, Katagawa stumbled and tripped onto his bed, grabbing his heart. He chucked a pillow at the cackling AI that went straight threw him and collided into the fridge. “Don’t do that!”

“Awh, god, that was so worth it. Aaaahhh, man…! The look on your faaa-aace. Hoooooh, you’re killing me!”

For a moment, the ex-CEO struggled to sit up. “I sent you into stasis and this is how you decide to--_coughcough_.”

“I had to give you some kind of payback after doing me like that. No one owns Handsome Jack, cupcake. Mmmm, I feel great, what did you put in me? Ah, don’t answer I’ll figure it out. Ooooo, you gave me style options? Now, we’re talking.”

Blinking hard, it took Katagawa some time before he could properly see again. When he could, he saw Jack’s scowl.

“These are garbage! Did you design these, pumpkin?”

He eased himself off the mattress. “They’re from Promethea’s popular fashion designers.”

“They’re shit.”

“Now you see why I thought they would be perfect for you.” He steadfastly ignored Jack’s glare. “You need a disguise, Jack. If anyone sees me walking around with a hologram that looks like Handsome Jack, it’s going to be on the news and that gives us more heat.” He grabbed the eyepatch off of his desk and placed it over his ECHOeye. He then snatched his backpack off the ground and slung it over his shoulder, stuffing the remote control into one of the side pockets. “Just pick something so we can leave. I need to test your other additions.”

“Fine, fine, fine. There.” Jack’s form jittered for a second before rebooting. His normal Hyperion garb was traded out for a long overcoat that came with skinny jeans, knee high boots, a beanie, and headphones that were the size of his mouth. He looked himself over. “I look like a drug dealer. Hold on, I’m gonna change.”

“You look handsome, let’s go.” Katagawa swiftly pressed further into the piping system until a ladder came into view. He noticed out of the corner of his eye, Jack was giving him a slimy grin. He sighed. “What?”

“You comin’ onto me, Kat?”

“Nope.”

“Wow, take your time answering, kiddo.”

“I only called you handsome to shut you up. We don’t have all night and I should’ve been up there ages ago.”

“Sure, Kat, sure.”

“Flatter yourself with falsehoods all you want, Jack.” He returned the smug smirk as he stepped onto the ladder. “Whatever helps you fill that void.”

Jack chuckled lowly, watching him climb up. Katagawa unhooked the hatch, shoved it open and breathed in the fresh cold air. After clearing the exit, Jack flew out and hovered there to take in the view. The ex-CEO gazed at him as he pushed the manhole into place. Jack was dumbfounded, his mouth was wide open when he saw the lights Promethea came to be known for. Katagawa was used to them at this point, but he couldn’t help smiling at the AI’s awe. He lifted himself onto his feet and repositioned his bag.

“This is… Promethea?” He somehow sounded breathless.

“Mmmhm. Impressive even for a lameass?”

“Don’t turn my words back on me, kid.”

It was fascinating to see the hologram gape at everything in the city. His motivation slipped as Katagawa watched Jack float around without so much as a sound out of his whiny face hole. He kept trying to make contact with anything. The first thing he touched was a traffic pole and he shuddered at the contact, releasing a soft groan. The two watched the holo-lights flicker and glitch as he kept his hand there. When he finally pulled away, the lights sparked and the system rebooted.

“What did you do?” Katagawa pressed, walking beside him.

“I have no idea. Damn, did that feel good.” 

“Feel good how?”

“Like I just chugged a six-pack of energy drinks.”

“You’re certainly not acting like it.”

“It’s wearin’ off. God, that’s addicting.”

Katagawa hummed, rubbing his chin. “I wonder if you could get that response if you touched a Burgerbot.”

“A burger-what?” Jack scoffed. “Did Rhys make all his employees robots? I mean, that makes sense, no one is that dumb to work for him.”

“He’s a practical businessman. Stupid, but practical.”

“You realize that whenever you defend him, it just proves my point, right?”

Deciding against shocking him, Katagawa ignored him as they traveled further into the metroplex. Jack hovered alongside him, surveying the colors bouncing into the night sky. He decided that it was good that they came to the city later than he wanted. The only people on the street were drunks who just came out of pubs and the emotionally drained civilians leaving their work. The patrol of Atlas soldiers was the same but he had to continuously grab the roomba to pry Jack away from trying to mess with them. He admired his love for mayhem but there was a time and place.

It wasn’t long until Katagawa led him to a small nature park where an overworked robot was attending a burger stand. It was one of his favorite spots. It was a calm, beautiful place after dark. Even the fountain had its own light features. That’s when he noticed that the sound of the roomba was farther away. He turned and saw Jack at the edge of the park, finally noticing the giant building off in the distance that shone like a beacon. 

Katagawa brushed up beside him and shared the view. “That. Is Atlas HQ. Quite the sight, isn’t it?”

“Yeah… He’s clearly compensating.”

The ex-CEO covered his mouth to stop his laughter but he was a second too late. 

Jack beamed at him.

Katagawa tried to push him but his gesture went through his shoulder. “Shut up!”

“C’moooooon, you laughed! That totally looks like a dick! You can’t defend that!”

“Not so loud!” He said in between giggles. “Yes, it does look a little phallic. Focus, Jack.”

“What?” Katagawa motioned at the bot and a smile creeped onto his featured. “Got it.”

He flew over and behind the unsuspecting robot and jammed his hands into its neck. Immediately, the Burgerbot’s limbs shook tremendously, pleading for it’s life until the light drained from its eyes and, as the robot collapsed, it knocked the stand over, spilling already prepared hamburgers across the grass.

Jack’s form shivered and pulsated brightly for a few seconds before dimming back into being semi transparent as he moaned. “Yessss, hahaha, I can get used to this.” 

Katagawa paused in loading his backpack with food and studied the hologram. He hummed.

“What’s on your mind, Kat?”

“Is that… pleasurable?”

“Oh, yeah, it’s a whole body massage.”

“So, electricity can energize you and you can drain it, even though you’re made of light and code.” He thought out loud. “That is interesting. If you had a beefer host, you could take down power plants… That could bring Atlas down to its knees. Would that be possible? No, a generator has limits. It wouldn’t be able to take a whole city’s worth of power. If we put you in the power plant itself… that’s too risky. They’ve bound to have a backup and a backup to that backup.”

“Why don’t you clone me then?”

“No.”

“You… don’t even want to think about it?”

“Handling one of you today is more than I can tolerate.”

Jack scoffed, “Do you want to take over Promethea or not, kiddo?”

“I do, but I know there are less complex ways to go about it. I got in through a disguise.”

“That’s not going to work twice.”

“Hush, I’m thinking… What I need to do is smuggle you in and… We can repeat what you did in Helios.”

“Uhhh, yeah, that didn’t turn out well for me.”

“But we’re not in a space station, Jack!” He said excitedly, slinging the bag over his shoulder as he stood up. “It’s possible! We need to keep this up. I need to find a way for you to harness that power you’re collecting without overloading the roomba’s systems. From there, I can sneak into his little secret entrance, plug you in, and we’ve practically won! Ohhh, I can see Rhys’ face now, so surprised to see me alive. Oh, his screaming is going to sound so divine.”

“Kid, if this is your turn on, I hate to see what really gets you going.”

Rolling his eyes, Katagawa pretended he didn’t hear that and began walking away from the food stand.

“So, what all did you put in me, Kat?”

“Most of it was implementing disguises. The one thing I did add to your roomba was a shockwave.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, however, it is remote controlled. I didn’t give you the ability to access it yet. It’s a prototype and I don’t need you exploding.”

“Perfect, I’m a walking time bomb.”

“Not exactly.” He withdrew the remote from his bag. “I modified this as well. It should be able to dial into your electrical power. I would like to practice once I find a good spot. Maybe Lectra City. We’ll try there.”

“I don’t think you thought this through, kid.”

“I think everything through, old man. I know what I’m doing.”

“I’m just sayin’, you should have gone out to find another bot like this and test it out first before sticking it onto me.”

“I’ll run your concerns under advising.”

“We just met, cupcake. I know both of us have a common goal, but I don’t exactly have a reason to put all my trust in you yet.”

“Then take this as an exercise of trust.” He said with a coy smile.

“Yeah, okay, what if that remote thing sends a shockwave through me and not what you’re aiming for?”

“I’d laugh.”

“... Kay, I would be too if I was in your shoes, but come ON!”

“God, I had no idea the _Handsome Jack_ was such a child.”

“I’m not a child!”

“I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking about the dead man.”

“I am that dead man!”

“Sure, Jack.”

The hologram stared at him, concern and confusion inflicted throughout his code. Throughout their walk to Lectra City’s subway station, it was remarkably quiet.

. . .

As they alighted from the train, Katagawa held the roomba close to his chest as he casually flanked the Deputybots’ patrols. He settled himself on one of the docks and placed the bot on the wood. It writhed briefly as the projected snapped online, illuminating Jack’s form. 

Quickly, he scooted away from the water. “Seriously, Junior?! Are you trying to kill me?!”

“I have my reasons, Jack.” He pulled the shock remote from the bag’s pocket and switched it onto a separate mode.

“Would it kill you to explain some of those reasons to me? You know? So we can have some trust?”

“That wouldn’t be as fun as watching you squirm.”

“You remind me too much of myself. There can only be one Handsome Jack here, kid.”

“Indeed.”

“Don’t you fucking say it.”

“Say what, Jack?” He asked innocently, blinking.

“That I--... I hate you.”

“You learning fast.”

“Christ, I wasn’t born yesterday.”

“If we’re talking technicality, you were born again today in a--.”

“Do you, just, not understand phrases or do you like to hear yourself talk? Nevermind, you existing already answered my question.”

“You’re so cute when you’re angry.” He playfully mocked. “Alright, I think the remote is all set up. Are you ready?”

He crossed his arms and pouted.

“You’re ready.” He clicked the trigger and something outside the roomba exploded on the electrical impact, fizzling out the projection like it was losing a signal. Katagawa fled over to the roomba and smacked his hand against it multiple times. “Jack! Jack! Are you still there?!”

He groaned in reply. His body attempted to reform, but it was too unstable and warped around the projection. His voice was reduced to half speed. “Auuuhwooooh… Kaaaat? What the hell did you do to me…?”

“I don’t know! I checked everything. This is supposed to work!”

“Weeeelll, iit diiiidn’t.”

“This can’t be right…! I’m a prodigy! Shit like this doesn’t happen to prodigies!”

His laugh sounded incredibly drunk.

“Don’t laugh at me! I-I know what I’m doing! I-I-I just-- need to get back home--! That’s it! Fuck, when’s the next train?” His ECHOeye lit up. “Thirty minutes?! No! There has to be a shortcut.”

Suddenly, Jack fully reinstituted his body and he shook as code zipped through his form at an alarming rate.

Katagawa’s jaw dropped.

“WhooooAAH!” Jack lurched, stumbling forward and holding his arms out. He stood up straight and shook out his neck. He cackled and spun around, feeling himself. “Damn! That is SO much better! Aaahahha, my voice…! Oh, it’s beautiful again. Haaaa. I’m so perfect.” He turned and grinned at the ex-CEO. He hovered in front of him and squatted to his eye-level, glance from his mouth to his eyes. He booped his nose. “Surprise.”

“How…?” When he heard himself squeak, he quickly cleared his throat but that didn’t stop Jack from laughing.

“Awww, were you worried about your old maaaaan? That’s so sweeeeet. Sorry, kid, but the only prodigy here is me. You’re second-rate, at best.”

“H-how dare y--!”

“Easily. Who’s the AI here? Oh! Oh, it’s me!! I know my code better than you ever will.”

“Do you want to bet? You want to mess with me?”

“Uh, yeah, what do you think I’m doing? Flirting?”

“If you keep this up, Jack, I will reset you. I can reprogram you into my image.”

Jack scoffed. “HA! You wouldn’t!”

“And why not?”

“Because, you’re obsessed with me.”

“Hh-how dare you suggest that!”

“It’s not a suggestion, cupcake! If you weren’t, you would have reset me in the beginning! C’mon, you want to look into my code soooo-hohoooo badly all the damn time. You know everything aspect about my life.”

“I did that to get to Rhys!”

“Oh, sure, your intention is still there, but I’ve been watching you, kid. You think I’m not looking at you but I’ve got sensors aaaaaalllll over.”

His face flushed in the neon lights. He stomped his foot in rage. “It was pure fascination! You must be delusional to think that of me!”

“You’re the only one with delusions, Kat. If you reset me, you get rid of everything I know. I won’t be able to get past the firewalls, hack into the turrets, let you through the door. You NEED Handsome Jack.”

“You’re not Handsome Jack!”

“YoU’rE NoT HAnDSoMe JAcK--” He mocked his tone. “BULLSHIT! I’m the only one who does the manipulation around here and I’m goddamn tired of you putting me down! You’re getting what’s coming to you, Katagawa--!”

As electricity manifested at the base of the roomba, Katagawa kicked it away and scrambled for the remote. 

“No, you don’t!” Sending a bolt out, it collided into the remote and, from the force of the shock, jumped out of his hands and fell in between wooden planks. “It’s _my_ turn to give you some electro-therapy, Kat!”

He halted when he saw flashing blue and red lights leaking over the buildings and drawing closer to the peer. Giving Katagawa another menacing grin, his form disappeared and the roomba fled the scene.

“Jack!” He followed him to the building and attempted to scale over it, but as he reached up, his wrists were held down by robotic clamps. He fought against it, ignoring Policebot’s warnings and screaming out the hologram’s name for help. Then he felt a sharp electric shock up his spine and he fell limp. He almost coughed up a lung as he tried to breathe again while being dragged along the cement.

“You’ve got the worst luck, don’t you, kid?”

His eyes popped open and he saw the AI’s face surprisingly close to his. “Jack--! Get me out of this-- now!”

“No.”

“Wh… what do you mean ‘no’? Oh, fine. Fine! I’m sorry. There, I apologized. Will you get me out of this?”

“Oh, I’m not looking for an apology, cupcake.”

“Then what do you want? And could you make it quick?”

“I want a confession.”

Katagawa tried to kick him, but failed. “I am NOT obsessed with you!”

“Oh no, not that.” He said, cackling, “Listen, Kat, what we got going is a one sided relationship. And I really feel like I don’t need-- Hey! I’m still talking. You have made me realize that I do need you. I need upgrades. You’re the only person who can make me have a physical connection. So, hear me out: You keep upgrading me, but you let me do whatever I want, and in return I’ll cooperate, and only think about how I want to kill you.”

“Deal.”

“I wasn’t finished, but since you’re so eager, I’ll accept it.”

“W-what? No, no! Finish it!”

“Nahhh, you’ll find out eventually.” He clicked his tongue as he winked. Flying over his head, Jack hovered in front of the Deputybot, made finger guns at it while a shockwave shot out from the base of the roomba. The robot shut down with a sorrowful whirr.

Katagawa scrambled out of its hands and secured his bag and booked it to the subway tunnels with Jack gliding behind him.

It took longer than an hour to get back to the sewer system without arousing too much suspicion. Katagawa slipped out of the backpack and fell onto his mattress with a heavy sigh.

His voice came out as a muffled mumble. “That was a nightmare. What were you thinking, Jack?”

“I can barely hear you, pumpkin.”

“Enough with the pet names!” He lifted his head up to scowl at the hologram. “I am not your cupcake, pumpkin, or kiddo. My name is Katagawa.”

“Woof, someone’s on edge.”

“You tried to kill me! You threw my remote into the fucking ocean!!”

“That is what I did, yeah. I’m not your fucking dog, kid.”

“Obviously. You’re an AI. You were made to serve--”

“Ohoho, Handsome Jack was _made_ to be immortal! When I’m done with Promethea, I’m going straight to Pandora and finish what I started.”

“You’re not--!” He let out a frustrated exhale, flipping himself over and rubbing his face. “You’re impossible. This is why I had the remote so I could keep you in line and look what happened. The police know my face.”

“You’re being overdramatic. Everyone will just think you look like a dead guy but with an eyepatch, am I right?”

“Don’t reflect your existential crisis onto me. At least, I’m real.”

“The Helios crash was real, kid. I did that.”

“Sure.”

“Okay!” He yelled, throwing his hands up. “What the FUCK is your deal?! Why don’t you take me seriously?! I am Handsome Jack, sweetheart, whether you believe me or not. I can kill you right now!”

“Fine!” Katagawa sat up. “If you are THE Handsome Jack, then do it!”

“Ah ah, I know what you’re doing! I already said that I needed you.”

“No, you don’t. You’re such a smart engineer, you brought out The Warrior, you made Helios crash, you fucked over Pandora that it’s beyond repair. I’m not Rhys. You’re not in my brain. You don’t need me, Jack. You can figure this out aaaaaall by yourself. Truly, I am sooooo unworthy to be in your presence. I’m just holding _you_ back so that I can hang on your coattails and take all the credit for myself. Kill me, you bitch.”

Katagawa braced himself and shut his eyes tight when he heard an electric crackle underneath the roomba. Swiftly, a dangerously hot bolt caught his cheek and crashed into the metal walls. Through hesitation, he opened his eyes and stared at Jack’s exhaustedly pissed off countenance. Feeling something run down his face, he touched his cheek and raised his brows at the blood on his fingers.

“You actually hit me.”

“Pfft, you were expecting me not to?”

“Yes. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“I’m Handsome... Jack. I’ll do anything.”

“But you didn’t kill me.”

“I don’t have a reason to. No, that came out wrong, I mean, I do, a lot of reasons, like, countless at this point. I really want you dead, but I don’t have a reason to kill you right _now_. I'd rather do that when you least expect it. It’s more satisfying that way.”

Katagawa responded with silence. He rubbed the blood off his face with his sleeve and hopped off his bed, crossing over to his computer.

“What are you doing?”

“Checking my recordings on Rhys.”

Jack simply glanced at the monitor then back at the ex-CEO. He leaned his weight on his desk, looking at him with his arms folded.

“Do you have something to say, Jack?”

“I’m waiting for a snarky comment.”

“I’m sure I’ll think of one at some point.”

He cocked a brow. “Oooookay…” 

Ignoring him, Katagawa kept his eyes on the screen for the next twenty minutes, fastforwarding through the footage for anything substantial. His lips twitched when he caught up to the live recording. That stupid bandit was in his bed with his whole naked body on Rhys. He wanted to make his little best friend suffer. He wanted to pose Vaughn in front of Rhys and torture him and slice him open for all that he’s done.  
Then he noticed he had been staring at Jack’s reflection in the monitor. His radiant green glow was distracting him from his diabolical, envious scheming. He could easily read his troubled countenance. Jack looked like he was impatient to have him answer an unasked question. He put a finger to his lips as a thought popped into his head. Did Rhys never question this AI’s genuity? He was programmed by someone who had an extreme obsession with Handsome Jack and cloning him. He read up that the scientist took it to risky lengths as to put his DNA into some kind of Frankenstein. This Nakayama went to great strides to protect and perfect this AI that was standing before him. He was made to finish Jack’s work. He was designed to feel real human emotions and he was just… staring at him in a way that made him his stomach feel hot and full of lead. He wondered if there was more to him. He wondered if he could break him.

He sat back into his chair and met his gaze. “What is it, Jack?”

“You never told me how all this got started. Like, why are you so obsessed with Rhys?”

“I told you before. I was curious about him and he proved to be interesting to me.”

“So, do you, like, want to hate fuck him or something?”

“I don’t hate him. I’m disappointed that he didn’t join me when he should have. I’ll be teaching him a lesson soon.”

“Thennnnn, we’re not killing him?”

“When I get bored of him, yes.”

“That’s kinky.”

“It is not.” Katagawa growled, defensively.

“Yeah, sure, kid.”

“Let’s talk about something else.” He shut off the monitor.

“Like what?”

“Upgrades. This deal you set up. What more is there to it? I thought this was already quite symbiotic.”

Jack seeped into a grin. “Noooo, cupcake, not even close. I haven’t gotten anything from you yet. Okay, I like the new additions-- some of it, we can work on the outfits some more. I prefer a more sexy touch, like leather.”

“Leather is out of style.”

“Handsome Jack can put anything back in style.” He said his name with aggressive emphasis.

He rolled his eyes. “Moving on.”

“We need to communicate more, basically. You don’t get to stick anything new in me until I have a say in it. Do we agree with that?”

“That’s fair, I suppose.”

“Alright. Now, the whole shocking me thing… If you’re still going to keep that up, I want to be able to do some damage back.”

“No.”

“Oh come on!”

“If you shock me, I’ll die. I almost died today because of that damn robot...” Katagawa huffed. “How about this: I don’t shock you and you don’t shock me and both of us rely on complete trust. Or else.”

“Or else?”

“If you defy me, I’ll sell your secrets. There are still some people will pay billions for that kind of information these days. You know collectors, people who are on par with Nakayama, idiots like that.”

“At least, they have taste… Fine, whatever, but if you defy me, cupcake, your location is going to leak out, Atlas is going to come knocking on your door, and I will not help you.”

“That’s a stake higher than mine, Jack.”

“Oh, trust me, that’s the lowest I could go. I was thinking about all the ways I could slowly torture you.”

“Goodness, are you coming onto me, Jack?”

“Oh, you wish this was pillow talk, Kitten.”

His nose scrunched up. “Don’t call me Kitten. It’s disgusting.”

“You’re such a killjoy.”

“Why do you even call me those names anyway?”

“Please, kid, you’re not special. I do that to everyone. It’s my thing. I mean, everyone is basically my bitch.”

“I see. You’ve never met someone like me, have you?”

“Oh, I have. I just killed them before they could think about killing me.”

“No wonder you get angry at me so easily.”

“That won’t last long, pumpkin.” 

His toothy smile gave him an odd sensation in his throat that he coughed to clear up, but it was still there. “Anyway, I agree to your stakes. Now, if you don’t mind, I wish to nap without you disturbing me.”

“But I don’t want to be turned oooooffff. That’s the one thing I hate about this thing! It’s kind of traumatic.”

“Boo hoo, just think happy thoughts of how you want to kill me.”

Jack hummed. “That’ll work. Maybe you are good for other things, Kat.”

“I try.” He teased back, bending over. He pressed the power button and watched the hologram disappear. He gave an irritated sigh and undid his zipper, pulling out of his underwear. “Finally...”

He needed to get out his frustrations the only way he was able to. He pulled out a drawer and fished out a nearly empty bottle of lotion as he filled his mind with the thought of Rhys. After a few long strokes in, he shivered and shoved his head into the back of the chair, biting his lip. He forced himself to go slow, using his hips to try to hold out a bit longer. Rhys was going to be his soon, and no one was going to keep him away from his prize. He will be on his knees begging to be spared. Rhys will learn to love him. They always learn, for Katagawa knew he was a good teacher. His fantasies escalated as his free hand rose underneath his hoodie and his finger circled around his erect nipple. He exhaled audibly when he came.

At one point, he did crawl into his bed and fall asleep for a good thirty minutes. When he woke up, he packed the stolen food in the back of the freezer and cracked open an energy drink. Putting his feet up on his desk as he sat down, he relished in the silence. After what happened with the suit, Katagawa was unable to fall asleep for the entire night. He always woke up in a cold sweat or coughing from stress, because his dreams were too intense. He studied his sleeping pattern and decided that sleeping up to forty-five minutes was perfect for him since he would usually start to REM sleep around an hour in. He kept himself awake the rest of the day through pure determination and a lot of drinks he hacked from vending machines. Jerking off helped too but he was running out of lube.

His gaze fell upon the roomba that sat beside his sword at the edge of his living space. He wondered how far they would get before inevitably killing each other. Jack was fascinating but bothersome. He wanted to let the bot sit there for a few days before bringing Jack back to the world just so he could watch the hologram have another meltdown about the passage of time. It was funny to think about that now. Jack was smart for a Hyperion AI, though, he would find a way to get him back. That got him thinking. If he figured out how to get into the roomba’s entire system… could he turn himself back on? His face burned at that thought.

“Uh, Jack? Are you still on?” He rose up a little to check to see if the top light was off, which is was. When he didn’t get a response, he tried again, “Are you online, Jack?”

The cleaning bot sat there like useless garbage.

He eased back into his chair and lifted his drink to his lips in relief. “Good.”

“Yeah, I’m here, pumpkin.”

He spat and spilled his beverage over his hoodie when his whole body jerked. He slammed the tin can down and scowled at the roomba. “You piece of shit! You did that on purpose!”

“Because it would be funny! It’s payback for making me listen to you cum over Rhys. GOD, you know, I can usually tune stuff out, but you are so loud! How does no one hear you from outside?”

“How are you even?”

“I even and odd. I’m made of numbers, Kat.”

“Fuck you.”

Jack giggled at his expense.

“How are you _online_? I turned you off.”

“Yeah, ah, what you did is make me unable to move and project myself, but I’m still conscious. I’m basically the brain of this thing now.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Alright then, dumdum, listen up. When I was in Rhys’ brain, I could still be conscious while he was asleep, because his brain was still awake. If I’m this roomba’s braaaaain…? Fill in the blank, c’mon you can do it.”

“I’m not encouraging you… but I do get it. You mapped into it’s mainframe and you’re running on a separate-- That is clever.”

“Aaaaw! You think I’m clever. You’re so nice, Kat.”

“And you’re a brat. And now I can never have any privacy.”

“Karma’s a bitch, ain’t it? I can’t have any privacy either, kid.”

“I refuse to believe that Nakayama gave you a dick. You’re an AI, you don’t have the need for one.”

“Ohohohohoooo, ohhh you naive child. I’d show you but that would be awkward for both of us, mostly me.”

“I’m not a child. I’m thirty-two.”

“Sure.”

“I’d like to change the subject.”

“You and me both.”

“Can you see me?”

“Not really. I can sense you. I’m kind of stuck staring at the ceiling. So I got to glare at Rhys for a good hour. Seriously, kid, where did you even get half of these photos. Second questions: SHOULD I know where and how you got these?”

“... My ECHOeye had a photo mode. I used to have a printer I would connect to but then it combusted.”

“I am morbidly curious what other photos you have in there.”

“That is up to your imagination.”

“Porn?”

Katagawa sighed.

“Now, I’m convinced that it’s porn.”

“You’re so crass.” Not that he was any better with the amount of toys he had on the Zanara. He missed his ship. “Anyway… This is annoying.”

“You’re telling me. I’d love to have a second to get away from you.”

“It’s probably for the best that we _try_ to get along since I don’t think I can… reverse whatever it is you’ve done to my roomba.”

“Can you turn me on then?”

“If you rephrase.”

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… Push my butt-- that’s bad too. Aaaughh, mmmm… Put-- No.”

“As fun as this is...” Katagawa waltzed over and pressed the on button. Immediately, Jack reformed with a zap as his original outfit glitched into place. 

He rolled his shoulders and exhaled from his nose. “Finally, now, how about we work on you giving me better outfits?”

“That’s a waste of space.”

“I can make room deleting all this other crap.”

“You’re in control of your code, Jack. Why don’t you do it yourself?”

“... That’s not a bad idea, cupcake.”

Smiling to himself, Katagawa watched him oddly shift and twitch with self-satisfaction. Jack wasn’t going to be able to make it far to-- His jaw dropped.

Not only did Jack manage to change his outfit without a problem, he gave himself leather and what looked like spandex pants that definitely showed a bulge and it was giving Katagawa frustrating sensations. He shook himself out of his trance and managed to meet his gaze. “Really? Spandex? You’re over fifty.”

“I’m comfortable with my body, Kat.”

He clicked his tongue. “No one regularly dresses like that.”

“It’s good for clubbing”

“We are not clubbing.”

“Uh, yeah, duh, why would I bring you along?”

“You aren’t going by yourself! You’re a hologram-- Okay, there are some… holographic strip clubs, but you would be a hologram walking IN. That is not normal. You’ll give us unnecessary attention.”

“You know what, maybe, we should go to a club. You need to loosen up and get laid.”

“As fun as that sounds, I have already listed why that is a bad idea. We are to stick on our path to taking Atlas.”

“We can still do that… AND also have fun. You had a freakin’ pleasure yacht! You know what that was like!”

“Well, times change, Jack. I don’t have a pleasure yacht, I can’t ingest drugs, I can’t have fun like I used to, I can’t go to the doctor to fix this, I can’t do anything but sit on my ass and make sure you’re perfect. After Atlas is mine, then things can go back to the way they were before and I won’t be so… weak. This discussion is over. And change out of that, it looks… weird on you… Stop looking at me like that. I hate it.”

“You really think those energy drinks are going to help your heart? And shouldn’t you sleep more?”

“I said I don’t want your pity. I’m taking care of myself just fine.” He took a long swig from his drink to prove his point.

“That’s adding on stress, kid. That’s not helping you out either.”

“Stop.”

“Do you want to die before you step into Rhys’ office?”

“I said--!” He paused. Crushing the tin can, he threw it against the metal floor in a fit of rage. He rummaged through his desk drawers until he found what he was looking for. He tore open a box of hemp cigarettes.

Jack exclaimed as he dived in to attempt to swat it out of his mouth. “Are you trying to die faster?!”

“Why the fuck do you care?!” He kicked him away via the roomba. He snapped his fingers close to the edge of the cig. The sparks from the metal quickly scraping together lit the end and Katagawa breathed in. “You almost tried to kill me!”

The hologram squinted at him and opened his mouth, pointing at him. 

“Besides, it’s hemp. It’s the same brand Rhys uses. It helps with pain.”

“Christ, you just love basing your whole existence around Rhys, don’t you? Do you even have a personality besides being angry or obsessed with Rhys?”

“Do you always fight losing battles, Jack?” The smoke he blew at him went right through him without a reaction. “You know exactly what I’m going to say to that. Do you want me to say it? Do you love to hear me question your existence?”

“I’m getting real sick of arguing with you, Kitten.”

“Katagawa.” He corrected through gritted teeth.

The two bored into each other for a while, never straining from their eyes. The only sound between them was Katagawa’s heavy breathing. Soon, tiredness fell upon the ex-CEO. Defeated, he sat back down and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Are we done, Jack?”

He watched his feet shift as he took his time to reply. “Yeah. I think so.”

“Okay… I’ve, um...” He felt awkward trying to continue a totally different conversation while the atmosphere was still tense. “I’ve been thinking about what you said either about using another roomba for testing purposes. I think it’s a good idea. I was going to, um, start that tomorrow, but as for now, I’m going to try to sleep after I’m done with this…” He gestured vaguely to his cigarette. “But um… Uh...”

“What is it?”

“If you hear me screaming or see me… sweating, wake me up. I’m putting a lot of trust in you not to leave.”

Knowing by now not to ask too many questions, Jack simply nodded. “I won’t leave, Kat. I promise.”

“... Thank… you, Jack.”

“Oh, wow. Ah, you’re welcome.”

“Don’t get used to me saying thanks often.” He said with a tired smile. “That might have been the only time you get to hear it. You should feel honored.”

“Just try and get some rest, okay?”

“... You trying to be soft is strange.”

“Trust me, it’s stranger for me to get that out without gagging.”

Katagawa chuckled lightly, his shoulders bouncing a little as he did so.


	2. Chapter 2

Katagawa was spending more time outside of what could be qualified as his ‘room’. Everyday for the passing week, they searched the junkyard for a better power pack and an extra roomba to practice on. Jack was able to move some stuff around with the bot and has proved to use a form of telekinesis when some electronics still had some juice to obey. It made Katagawa wonder about his arms and whether or not Jack could activate them without his consent. He decided not to bring up the topic of what he was and was not able to do for the sake of safety. 

The only thing that was a problem were the ratches who have made their home there. However, they were nothing in comparison to his lazer sword. They were a tag team when it came to their infestations and Jack affectionately called the “shock and drop”. Meaning, Jack would use his shockwave and then Katagawa would get the ‘drop’ on them and slice them apart. The AI seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, which greatly amused the ex-CEO.

They had quite the collection growing and stopped when Katagawa was satisfied with the two piles they made. He dived in and one by one carefully tore open each cleaning bot and threw out the broken pieces. In this process, he put Jack in charge of watch duty, which he already knew was a mistake with how bored the AI looked. It took him five full of complaining minutes until he started roaming again, but as long as he could see the hologram, Katagawa didn’t care.

He didn’t like taking breaks but he had to for the sake of his heart. He put his tools down and sighed. During these pauses, he took pleasure in watching the hologram fly up to the top of giant piles and survey the area with his hands on his hips. His signature pose. Katagawa snickered at that. He liked to assume he was reliving his ‘glory days’ to fill the void. The sun glistened through him and left a glittering green reflection on the ground that would inevitably attract more ratches if he wasn’t careful.

After three and a half days, Katagawa finally pieced together a working roomba and attached it with a, hopefully, working power conductor that will, supposedly, harness the electricity he drains. He plugged a cord into the pack that he was going to connect into Jack’s roomba.

He looked around and called out to a few times before the AI climbed down from the top of a trash pile.

He spoke again when Jack was in earshot. “Do you like feeling tall, Jack?” 

“You callin’ me short, little man?”

“Raising yourself up doesn’t mean you’re taller than me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The roomba is a foot off the ground, Jack”

“Your point?”

“Anyway… It’s ready. I need to plug this into you.”

“Mmm, be gentle.”

“Would you stop. With the sex jokes?”

“You make it too easy, pumpkin.”

He grabbed the roomba and stuck the plug into the outlet. “It wouldn’t kill you to have some restraint like I do.”

He just smiled at him.

“Well, go on. Pulse away...”

“Weird flex but okay.”

“Oh my god, I already regret letting you onto my computer.”

“They’re just phrases, cupcake.”

“Annoying phrases that everyone won’t stop saying. I swear, they die the second they are repeated.”

“And you’re inviting me to keep doing it.”

“Please, charge the thing. I’m begging you.”

Giggling, Jack shot out an electric pulse through the cord. “How much can it hold?”

“It should be able to hold--” The conductor exploded. “Fuck.”

“Whoops.”

“It’s not your fault.” Katagawa yanked the cord. Huffing as he grabbed the prototype and tore out the battery pack. “I miscalculated… This is why I wanted to test out your shockwave.”

“It’s not like it’s too late for that.”

“No, but it’s best that we find a more remote place.”

“Why did we go to the freakin’ city then?”

“I put you out in front of the ocean, Jack. It would look like your were part of the light show. It wouldn’t have done any damage there, except fry a few fish.”

“... That would have been cool.”

“Yes, it would have been until...” He decided not to start an argument about how things went astray that night. Glancing over at Jack’s thoughtful expression, he knew that the hologram was thinking the same thing.

“Yeup. So, what’s the plan?”

“Scouting, but we should do that come morning… I should get more supplies. I should bring my sword as well, just in case.”

“We gonna go back to the city tonight?”

Stretching his back as he stood up, he grunted. “Yes.”

“Nice! I can test out my new outfit.”

“If I may reiterate, _Jack_. No distractions.”

“Hey, I only said I wanted to show off. My mind isn’t in the gutter like yours, Kat.”

Katagawa leered at him, snatched up his sword, and made his way back home with a smug Jack behind him.

The ex-CEO decided to try to take a nap to pass time and reenergize himself from all that time in the sun. He got two hours sleep before jerking awake to calm down from coughing. He didn’t look at Jack when he fiddled with his cigarette box, but he knew he was being stared at. He took a drag and exhaled through his nose, watching the smoke float up to the photos of Rhys Strongfork. He glared at them. He never had a problem with being stared at, but seeing all those photographs was giving him scopophobia. He felt like thousands of eyes were seeing him in this state. He hated feeling vulnerable. A Katagawa never showed weakness, that phrase was drilled into his head since he was born. Jack was seeing him weak all the time and he couldn’t stand it.

“Stay here.” He ordered.

He shot up from his bed, keeping his head down and walked closer to the end of the abandoned sewer system. It didn’t connect anywhere, it was just blocked off with metal bars that were rusty from weathering. The sun was just hovering over the horizon. Katagawa sighed sadly and rested his forehead on the barrier. He wanted things to go back to how they were before. He wanted his ship back. He wanted his life back. He wanted this stupid guilty feeling to stop.

He slapped himself when he felt tears in his eyes, but that forced them out. Crying was a foriegn concept to Katagawas. If there ever was a tear, it was beaten out of them. It was a discipline. So, he pulled his head back and slammed it into the bars. His cig fell out of his mouth when he hollered in pain, grabbing his head as he fell into the fetal position. Nausea enveloped his gut as his world spun. He couldn’t hear Jack communicating at him from the all the ringing.

When the pain finally reached a manageable level, he slowly lifted himself up and breathed hard, his eyes shut tight.

“What the hell happened, Kat? Did you run into something?”

“I’m fine.”

“That is-- not what I asked.”

“That is all you need to know. I’m fine.”

“Kat, you pretty much have a concussion. You need to lie down.”

“I’ll be fine.” He was too familiar with this feeling. “It’ll pass.”

Waving his hand out in front of him he found the metal gate and balanced onto it as he stood up. His stomach felt like a blackhole sucking everything in but he pushed the feeling aside. He needed a good stroke to get him out of this train of thought. Then he looked to Jack. He was astonished at how worried he was. He shove that away as well. He had to be faking it, following his programing. Katagawa was sure he was placing this somewhere to blackmail him later. Easing himself off his support, he held his gut and stumbled back to his bed, where he stayed until the sun completely vanished. Jack didn’t say a word to him.

Katagawa carried on as normal while they strolled through the city. This time he used Jack’s abilities to his advantage since he was still exhausted from pior. Jack hack vending machines to noodle stands without putting up a fuss. He seemed to be taking pleasure from the rush, which pricked a little jealousy from the ex-CEO. The next hour was spent exploring the city with Jack, getting into deeper territory that Katagawa wasn’t as familiar with. It was something he promised as an unsaid apology for torturing him. This is only so he could build trust, nothing more, Katagawa suddenly assured himself. He furrowed his brows. Where did that come from?

He had not been looking at him the whole time. Katagawa was doing some sightseeing as well and actually taking the time to be enraptured by it. Promethea was gorgeous and he was envious that it was nothing like-- “What the fuck?”

The now yellow hologram beamed at him. “After twenty minutes, you finally noticed?”

“Ah, you figured out how to change your color.”

“Anything is better than ‘Maliwan Green’.” He stuck his tongue in disgust.

“So why yellow?”

“Uh, Hyperion Yellow? Duh.”

“That’s right… Handsome Jack did change their colors. At least now you match with your personality of being an audible eyesore.” Speaking of eyes, he noticed something off about them. They were different from the rest of his form.

“Very funny, kid. Yellow’s actually--” Katagawa stepped closer to him, squinting. “Uh, hello? Can I help you?”

“Did you change your eye color?”

“Yup! They’re what they’re supposed to look like now.”

“Your medical records didn’t state that you had heterochromia.”

“Eh, they didn’t have a word for it at the time and I hate going to the doctor. Uh, are you done? I’d like some personal space, kiddo.”

“Oh...” He put a foot’s length between them. “Are you finished looking around?”

“I guess so, but ah, you know, there’s a certain place nearby that I’d like to check out.”

“From your tone, I assume that it’s something kinky. Did you find a porn shop?”

“No, we just passed a club.”

“Augh, I told you--”

“I know what you said, but hear me out. You’ve been having it rough lately--”

“Don’t turn this onto me, you and I both know you’re the one who wants to have fun in there.”

The projection jittered. “... Pweaaaaaase, Kaaaaaaat? I did a lot for owo todaaaaaayy. Don’t I dewerwe iiiit? uwu”

“Jesus...” Katagawa glanced over him, subtly admiring his new attire before meeting back into his eyes. “As long as you never do that again-- and don’t cause a scene! You have five minutes. I’ll be out here.”

“Oh my god, you’re the best, Kat.”

“I’m timing you!” He called out as his form disappeared and the roomba hurriedly zoomed in while the door was held open for a group of men going in. 

He set a timer in his cybernetics and let his back rest against the chrome building while his mind wandered. His routine had broken a bit since Jack entered into his life, he would be more active in watching Rhys. Filling his whole day up with staring at the screen and touching himself when the urge struck. His days were replaced with babysitting an AI. Babysitting was a strong… maybe too harsh of a term. Today had been unexpectedly different from their first day together. There was significantly less arguments but the air was never not tense. He learned to tune out Jack’s ramblings but he was also fascinated by them. His ECHOeye recorded them and Katagawa played them when he needed to sleep. Jack couldn’t hear the recording, thankfully. Katagawa wasn’t sure when he started doing that. He memorized his mannerisms through that footage, the way the corner of his mouth flicked up when he said certain words, how he fluidly moved his hands, cocked his head, and rolled his hips. How there was a little wiggle when he walked--

The timer went off, scaring him out of his trance. He shut it off and glanced at the door, waiting. He stood there for another minute and sighed. His head lolled backwards. “Seriously, Jack?”

He heaved himself off the wall and sauntered over. He pulled at the handle and pushed his way into the crowded club. He didn’t have to search for him long since Jack was the only hologram in the middle of the room.

Erupting from his stomach, Katagawa felt a boiling pressure pulsing throughout his body. His eye twitched as he watched this drunk girl with a purple ponytail dance around him. His feet moved without him being fully aware of it. He roughly shouldered anyone who got in his way until he finally got to them. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he tore her off of Jack and stood in front of him as he glowered at her.

“What the hell are you doing, kid?!” Jack yelled over the music, “You’re cockblocking me!”

“Asshole!” After she regained her balance, she pushed Katagawa in return and got in his face, her breath reeking of beer. “Can you move it, you one-eyed freak?”

“This man is mine.” He growled, stepping forward. “Get off his dick.” 

Katagawa put his hand to her forehead and shoved her away.

Ignoring the hologram vying for his attention, his gaze followed the purple ponytail to make sure that the drunk wasn’t going to call security. Instead, she hurried to the bar and ordered another beer. Satisfied, he turned around and jumped when he saw how close Jack was to him, feeling a sudden electrical shock. Jack must have felt it too with how he gritted his teeth and furrowed his brows. Katagawa felt as if someone was stroking him. It was an uncomfortably beautiful feeling. Maybe, it was the air. Maybe both of them were getting a charge from all the electrical energy in the room. Maybe, it was Jack was looking really good in this light and his filter was draining. Neither of them had any idea but it was sparking something unspoken between them.

“That was a rush.” He shuddered, shaking his head. “What the hell has gotten into you, kid? What did you even say?”

Katagawa reached up and hung his arms around his neck. “I simply told her that I owned you. If you’re going to do this with anyone, it’s going to be with me.”

Unsure if he was high off his own excitement or he was breathing in some kind of drug, he thought he was able to feel Jack, even though his clothes were going through him. He reassured that he was just imagining the hologram’s touch when he slid his hands below his waist and eased him into the song’s contagious rhythm. He could feel _something_ pressing onto him that he eagerly grinded and thrusted into, a hair in sync to the beat. Jack seemed to be reacting to it, pushing in return and messaging his hands into his lower back. He nosed his port and groaned softly into his ear.   
Katagawa gave up trying to figure out the science behind this sensation and he got lost in the movement as well as Jack’s eyes. The colors were exquisite, he had to force his lungs to keep breathing between flavored grunts. Their closeness was intoxicating. Jack ran his hands through his clothes, exploring every inch of him. He nudged his nose and drew closer to his lips. Katagawa’s eyes fluttered to a close as he exhaled expectantly.

Another spark vibrated through them at the same time the music died and everything went pitchblack, except for the glowing hologram remaining. Quickly, he deactivated his projection and shoved the roomba into Katagawa’s chest, which he hugged tightly.

“What happened…?” Katagawa asked meekly, his voice barely there.

“I don’t know just get us out of here.”

Katagawa hastily maneuvered his way through confused and disappointed crowd of drunks until he found the door and bailed. Fighting the urge to cough, he bolted far enough away from the stip joint and slipped into an alleyway, where he stopped and doubled over, wheezing. The roomba shimmed out of his arms and projected the hologram. He looked just as shooken up.

He must have asked him something because he was giving him an impatient glare.

Katagawa didn’t answer. He focused on keeping up with his lungs and crawled up into the wall. Resting his head there, he gazed at Jack through hazy eyes as he paced around the narrow path.

“--t was nothing like I’ve ever felt before. What even was that? Did you feel something shock you? I felt pretty overstimulated but like in a good way? Maybe, I was draining all that crap in there...” He looked to Katagawa with an expression he couldn’t read. “And you said some kinky shit.”

“I haven’t said a thing. I do think you’re right. All that exposed electricity was probably attracted to you and blew a fuse.”

“I meant, like.” He put his hands on his hips, eyeing him up. “You possessive of me, Kat?”

“What makes you say that?”

“It just happened!”

It took a second for him to recalculate. “... Oh... her? You two were getting too friendly. You can’t bring people to my place, Jack.”

“I was trying to get her to take her top off. It’s not like I could do it for her.”

“It’s called the ECHOnet, Jack.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Come on, you’re avoiding the question.”

“What question? Wait, I was coming in there to bring you out. You distra-- I mean that… whatever that was… was very distracting.”

“Yeahhh, youuuu…” A smile quirked up onto his lips as he pointed. “Yeah, you got really possessive!”

He felt his insides burn hotly. “Y-you… You must have been hearing the music.”

“Nuh-huh, I could hear you, Kat. You said you owned me.”

“I do own you! I gave you another chance at life.”

“Mmmhm, and you got real friendly.”

“Ha! You went through my clothes to try to touch me, Jack.” His smile died right after he said that. “Why were you touching me like that? … In fact, you were encouraging my behavior.”

Jack’s form flinched as he avoided his gaze. “Christ, like I know. The whole thing was arousing and the lights and all that, it was probably my dick talking. I am not into you.”

“Neither am I. You’re not my type.”

“Ohhh, he has a type. Let me guess: Rhys.”

“I had types before Rhys… I like a man with a vast intelligence.”

“You just described me in eight words.”

“Who doesn’t brag about it.”

Jack pouted. “You just don’t like seeing me happy, do you?” 

“Why would me being attracted to you make you happy?”

Raising his brows in surprise, he gawked at the sight of red discoloration that flushed across his nose and cheeks. “That is not what I meant.”

“Jack, are you blushing...?”

“Handsome Jack doesn’t blush.”

“You may want to rethink that.” 

Katagawa gave him a smile that lacked malice or any condescending nature behind it and his whole body turned a light shade of red.

His smile got bigger as he laughed, putting a hand to his mouth. “Jack!”

Jack looked down and yelped, quickly changing back into Hyperion Yellow. “You didn’t see that! I’ve got a bug…!”

“Maybe, you shouldn’t try to recode yourself then-- You’re blushing again.”

“Aaaaugh!” He shook his head and it went back to its original color. “It’s not blush! I just--! I’m overexerting myself. Goddammit, I’ve learned my lesson, Kat. Can we go to your stupid sewer already?”

Feeling somewhat flustered himself, Katagawa wasn’t sure how to deal with these intense emotions for the hologram. He batted them aside and stood up slowly. “Yes. Let us never speak of this again.”

“Ugh, yes. Never.”

He ended the recording and saved it.


	3. Chapter 3

Katagawa managed to stay asleep for five hours before the nauseating feeling returned and he had to drown it out with water. He double checked his bags, hooked his sword into his belt, and nudged Jack off his charging stand. They were to continue west and keep the ocean to their right. He won’t admit it, but Katagawa was a little afraid of what they would come across. He swallowed and buried that feeling as he pressed onward. Katagawa was looking for a place where nothing would catch on fire for a big radius, which was easier said than done. There were a great number of trees that were untouched by Rhys. He thought that to be distasteful.

“Why not make the whole planet under Atlas control? There’s nothing stopping him. He’s got the money to do it and it’ll only bring him more--” He slashed down foliage that was in his way. Some of the sticky vines stuck to his sword and he violently waved it, while making disdained noises. “Gross! Augh! There’s no use for this nature. When I take over, I’m paving all of this in the name of Maliwan.” 

“I recommend that you don’t go vacationing on Eden-6.” Jack teased, looking at him in amusement.

“Disgusting, juvenile planet. The Calypsos should have destroyed it.” He glanced over at Jack as they walked. “You’ve been quiet. Have you not fixed your little malfunction yet?”

“Uh, I have actually, thank you for asking. I’ve been taking this all in, that’s all.”

“It’s trees. Did they not have trees on Pandora while you were there?”

“There was this weird dome we went to that was built by Atlas that had trees. None of them were green though and it was in the Frozen Wastes, of all places. No idea how they passed me by with that one.”

“What were they doing there?”

“No idea, didn’t care. I was stuck with Rhysie trying to get his flirt on with this chick. God, it was miserable to watch.”

“Sasha?”

“I guess? I never paid attention. She wasn’t the one with the hat, that’s all I know.”

“That’s Sasha. She’s been missing for years.”

“Good for her. I would have loved to ditch Rhys too.”

He looked at him again with narrowed eyes. His tone was off by a fraction. It wouldn’t be noticeable to anyone, but Katagawa learned how to find subtleties in people from his father for negotiating. He swatted another bush out of his way. “Something about you is… wrong.”

“Oh goodie, you want to start another argument, pumpkin?”

“I’m making an observation. Do you need to be recharged?”

“Hmmm, nope! I’m good.”

He wet his lips. Was what happened prior still bothering him? That whole experience did creep up on him when he wasn’t preoccupied. He still couldn’t figure out if he was imagining his touch or not. Katagawa was definitely trying to grind up on him, he felt peculiar about that. He wasn’t sure what possessed him to do that. It wasn’t the music. He was more infatuated with trying to feel the hologram. The more he thought about it the less he wanted to bring up the topic. It was going to prove Jack right about him being obsessed with him and he hated being proven wrong.

“I’m just not used to you not being as… much as an asshole.”

“Wig.”

“That--” He sighed. “What are you trying to say?”

“Oh, it’s ‘worm’, isn’t it?”

“You know fully well that I’ve given up trying to explain memes to you, and you trying to integrate them into your vocabulary makes you sound more like an old man. Unless you’re doing that to irritate me...”

“That’s very unwoke of you.”

Katagawa groaned in dismay. “Ohhhh, my god. I will abandon you here if you keep this up.”

“Ah, mood.”

“Okay...” He said quietly, messaging his temple. “I’m preferring your silence now.”

His coy smile faded into a thin line. He must be thinking about… Katagawa stopped short. There was no point. The quiet was already awkward as is and talking about their ‘feelings’ will make it worse. Katagawa wasn’t even sure what his feelings were at this point. He wanted to focus on Rhys and that was it. Yet he kept glancing over at Jack, wishing he would say something to trim the silence.

“Jack?”

“Hmmm?”

“Could fly above the tree for me and see if there is an end to the godforsaken forest?”

He nodded and shot upward. He stopped just over the treeline. He communicated back via ECHO. “Yeah, it’s still going if we continue west, but there’s hills over on that side. It’s kind of barren over there.”

Katagawa opened his palm and looked at where Jack pinged on his map. It looked to be an hour and a half away. He hummed, closing his hand. “Could you scout ahead?”

“Sure.”

He watched as Jack made a green streak in the sky. One worded responses now? Was he going through another crisis? Great, he was worried about an AI and his ‘feelings’. AIs aren’t supposed to have feelings. The ones at Maliwan only had one personality trait and they stuck to it. When they didn’t, they were treated as a defect and thrown away. Jack was beyond any of his previous experiences. His personality trait was to _have_ feelings and original thought. Katagawa flinched when he heard the roomba come back down.

“I think we’re good over there. There’s some weird freaky lookin’ toad things but I think we can handle them. They just dug into the mud when they saw me. It was kind of funny.” His tone didn’t reflect that.

“Are you well?”

His form flickered. “I don’t get sick, Kat.”

“I know that. You haven’t been… Handsome Jack recently.”

“We all have off days, kid.” He turned, propelling forward. “Come on, we’re wasting time.”

“Jack!”

“Whaaaaaat?”

Katagawa pushed on. “Did I do something to upset you?”

“What the--? Why do you care?”

“We’re a team.”

His posture straightened as he studied the ex-CEO with wide eyes.

He hurriedly fixed his statement. “I mean, I need you to be cooperative, because we’re a team. I can’t have you acting like this when we infiltrate Atlas. I need to know if there is something I can fix.”

“I’m okay, kiiii--Katagawa.”

“Now I know something is wrong with you. Cough it up.”

“Kat! I appreciate what you’re trying to do.” He tried to put his hands on his shoulders and hung his arms in anguish. His disappointed expression was burned into his mind. “Seriously. I do. But this is something that only Handsome Jack can, uh, do, by himself… You know, hero things. Except in my head.”

“Jack.”

“I don’t want to talk about this, Kat. Can we just go? Please?”

“... Okay, fine. Let’s go.”

He hated the silence. He wanted to punch Jack’s face for making him feel like this. He knew he shouldn’t have said anything and now he couldn’t do anything about it. He hated not being in control. He hated this crushing weight on his shoulders. It hung there until they escaped the forest. They pressed up onto the hills that rolled for miles. It wasn’t the remote, flat place that Katagawa imagined but it would do. His heart pleaded with him to stop walking after climbing up one of the taller hills and they took a break. It was more Katagawa’s break, since he needed food. He munched on a granola bar while keeping an eye on Jack. As he stared at the hologram, he realized that the sculpture of his profile was... stunning. He wanted to touch it. 

Quickly, he swallowed the rest of the bar as well as his unwanted urges and opened his palm. “You ready Jack?”

“Yup. Where do you want me?”

“Right here is fine. You’ll be projecting it forward.” He pointed at the horizon, where it was plain to see Atlas HQ’s tower and beam. “Towards the city.”

“Got it… What am I doing?”

“I’m seeing how much you can control the wattage as well as the range. Go on.”

“... Do I need to give you a countdown?”

“Nope. Whenever you’re ready.”

“Alright.” Jack sent a spark of electricity in a jagged line that jutted out three yards.

Katagawa hummed, writing with his finger on his holopaper. “28 watts. I’ll jot that down as your minimum. Again.”

“What if I overload this thing and kill myself?”

“You won’t. The roomba will take most of the damage. Trust me, you won’t be harmed. I’ve worked out the bugs.”

“What about this thing’s batteries?”

“Your battery should be fine as long as we take it slow and let it cool down.”

“... If you say so, cupcake.” He jolted out another wave that exceeded the last and repeated this for the next thirty minutes until he was told to stop.

“You never cease to amaze me, Jack. These numbers are astounding.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It is a compliment.”

His face grew some discoloration that Katagawa didn’t bother to mention. “How do you feel after that?”

“I feel kind of… weird.”

“A good weird or a bad weird?”

“No idea. I think there’s something that got stuck on the freakin’ bot. Lemme try something...”

“Wait, Jack, let me see it first.” He reached out.

“I can handle this, Kat! Damn! Stop being so worried about--” As the wave of lightning burst out from him in a circle, he heard a shrill pained _human_ scream that sent chills up his spine. He turned around and saw Katagawa’s body rolling down the hill before it finally stopped at the bottom. Lying on his stomach, his cybernetic arms twitching like a fish out of water. His ECHOeye was wide open and frantically looking around in a sporadic fashion that wasn’t human.  
Jack suddenly felt very empty.

“_KAT_!!” Flying down to his side, he crashed onto his knees and tried to touch him in his panic. He yelled in frustration. “AAAH! Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck! Katagawa, say something! Kitten? Come on, I’m calling you Kitten, for fuck’s sake. Berate me or something.”

He put his head onto his back. He still had a heartbeat, but it was faint. 

“Oh thank god...” He inhaled deeply. He shook him via the roomba. “Kaaaat. Kat, come ooonnnnnn. Wake up. Wake up! I can’t carry you back, Kat… Kat! Goddammit! _Goddammit!!_”

He threw his head back and punched the ground, wailing. He used the roomba to go through his bag, not exactly knowing what he was looking for. The first thing that popped into his head was Dr. Zed’s questionable needles, but that was back in the city, which was just a speck from where he was standing. If Jack used his shockwave at full power to boost, he could get there within an hour. He wasn’t sure how he was going to get that back to Katagawa but time was of the essence and he couldn’t begin to think straight.

“Don’t die on me, Kat.” His voice cracked, “Wait for me. Please.”

He flew far, far away from his unconscious body before trying to pull off this risky maneuver that was going to drain his roomba’s battery life. He raised himself above the tree line and shot forward with a thunderous crackle.

In his panic, he didn’t care that people could see him. He had grabbed Barista-bot and gained control of it by draining its power and circulating his own energy back into it. He forced it to grab the vending machine before using another pulse back. He could feel his battery taking a toll on his form. He almost dropped the robot a few times but he forced his form to push through until he was in the rolling hills once more.

Easing the bot down close to Katagawa’s body, he made the robot shake the vending machine until needles full of red juice piled out like candy from a pinata. He tossed the Barista-bot aside and used the roomba to roll the needles over to him. He felt weak. So weak that he couldn’t keep the roomba flying. He made sure to move away from the stack of needles before shutting down his thrusters. It was harder to move but he managed to roll through the bumpy terrain.

Jack shook him again. “I’m back. I’m back, Kitten. It’s me. Your pal.” He nudged. “It’s Jacky. It’s me. Hey. Hey, wake up... Katagawa?”

He emitted a soft moan.

“Oh my god. Hey, hey hey hey, Kat. Kat! Look at me.”

Moving his arms, Katagawa slowly flipped himself over and groaned in pain. His ECHOeye was still going berserk and his left eye was glazed over but looking in his direction. Katagawa lifted his hand towards him. Jack could hear him whimpering as he swatted and grabbed at him, his hand going through his face.

“I know. I know this is all my fault and I’m really sorry but follow--follow my hand. Stop-- stop trying to touch me. Look! Kat. Take one. Now. Please. You need it.”

Coughing, Katagawa finally gazed over to his left. Slowly, he took one and stared at the red liquid in a daze.

“Stick it in your leg or something!” His audio glitched. He looked down and saw his body fidgeting in and out of physicality. He was beginning to feel tired. “Fuck…! C’mon, Kitten. That’s it-- N-no! No, don’t cry. I know it hurts but you need this. Ta-take another one. Yeah. I know. I know, Kat. You’re going to be okay, I promise.”

After taking out the needle from his leg, Katagawa whined dramatically, gasping in between sobs. Whatever medicine it was, it was helping the pain but the mental trauma was still fresh in his mind. 

“Shhhhshshh, Kitten. Kitteeennn… Heyyyyy. I’m so sorry. I know that’s really weird for me to say but I wasn’t trying to hurt you. We’re a team! Like you said. I would never want to...” His voice died when he realized Katagawa had paused in his obnoxious cries and was reaching out to him again. He looked so frightened yet he wanted to… “What are you doing, Katagawa? I really mess you up, haven’t I? I’m gettin’ real low on battery here, kid. I-I think I did a lot of damage to this thing. You might have to kill Rhys without me. Please, tell me that you’re going to be okay. Come the fuck on, Kat, I don’t have much time. I could go out at any second.”

He took in two long heavy breathes. His voice was hoarse from dehydration as he spoke, “... Jack...?”

The hologram vanished as the roomba made it’s deactivation noise.


	4. Chapter 4

Katagawa actually _missed_ Jack.

His trek home was long and harrowing but he arrived in one piece, his hands clutching Jack to his chest. He was going to fix this. The roomba’s underbelly was trashed, wires were showing and there was a lot of damage to the thrusters. Katagawa worked slowly to not break anything else inside the bot. He tested battery packets on his own. He had to find and rebuilt a generate to appropriate illustrate the numbers he had recorded. It was labor intensive and lonely.

He forgot about Rhys. He hadn’t looked at his computer once. He replayed his recordings of Jack as he cradled the roomba each night, so he could pretend that he was still around mocking him, angering him with old memes, smiling at him.

He lost track of time. He focused on creating a better and stronger host for Jack. The roomba became bulkier and it had the ability to keep the electric energy he absorbs. They would have to retest his shockwaves again but that was for another time. Testing anything that dealt with electricity made him sweat more than normal. He didn’t hit himself whenever he felt anxious or scared when he heard a zap. He pushed on with one thing on his mind: Jack.

His memory module was still in one piece, much to his relief. As he put the roomba onto it’s charger, Katagawa was scared if the shutdown screwed up with his files.

“Please, please, please work.” He pressed the middle button and the roomba greeted him with a singsong beep.

Instantly, the projection resumed, showing the hologram as Katagawa remembered him: on his knees, hunched over with his hands outstretched. He was panicstricken and his mouth was half open. When the roomba finished with his reconstruction, his audio peaked as Jack wailed, “Katagawa!”

Jack recognized his surroundings immediately and gaped at the ex-CEO, his form shook from nerves. He looked down at the bot and stared at it for a long time. 

His voice cracked, “Jack?”

“How long was I gone for…?”

“I don’t know. Maybe longer than a week? Whatever you did took a toll on you. I had to fix it. Is it to your liking?”

Jack was breathing-- or at least mimicking. It was loud and full of anguish. Katagawa then realized that he was crying. Jack had been reliving his last few moments with him on repeat.

“Jack, hey, It’s okay now. Thank you for saving my life.”

“Why aren’t you mad at me? Why did you bring me back?”

He frowned, perplexed. “Why aren’t you thankful? I spent all my time and energy fixing you so I could see you again.”

“I almost killed you. Goddammit, if I just said what was wrong we could have avoided all of that…!”

“Jack, I know you didn’t intend to shock me.” He scooched closer to him.

“I traumatized you. You can’t forgive me for that.”

“I’m not forgiving you, Jack. I’m telling you that I’m well again. I’ve made sure to stockpile on those medicines because of you.”

“Why did you make it stronger, kid? Do you want this to happen again?”

“It won’t. I’ve made sure that this mistake won’t be repeated.”

Jack hiccuped, burying his face into his hands. 

“I did all this because you’re my friend, Jack. I was lonely without you.” He reached out and touched the top of the roomba. “… I missed you.”

He jerked his head up, his entire face full of red discoloration and his form abruptly disappeared.

“Jack!” He shook the roomba. “Jack, you bastard, you come back out here right now!”

The roomba made it’s shutdown sound.

“Hey!! I know you’re can still hear me!” He stood up, grunting in aggravation. “You ungrateful brat! Don’t you dare leave me alone again!” He pushed back tears that were welling up as he laid down on his bed, withdrawing a cigarette from the box beside his head. “Fuck you too, Jack. I-I don’t need--”

He paused, releasing the smoke from his mouth in a shaky exhale. He put a hand to his forehead as his stomach hitched. He stayed quiet for a solid hour, pitying himself. He lit up another cigarette in that time. Katagawa glanced down at the floor in hopes that Jack moved, but he didn’t.

“I really missed you.” He remarked, quietly. “I didn’t think I would, but I did. I didn’t think I… Fine, you were right. I am obsessed with you, there I said it. Does that make you feel better? Was the wait worth it? I am… completely and utterly obsessed about you. Do you have any idea how scared I was? I was out there in the middle of nowhere for hours. I was too terrified to move. I was all on my own again with no one to talk to. I thought I lost you forever.”

He took in a drag. “I lost sleep. I’ve forgotten to eat. I spent night after night with you in my arms, talking to you like an insane person. All that silence was a nightmare. I couldn’t take it. I hated it. And here I go again. I’m talking at you and like a brat you refuse to say a word. I can’t believe you. You’re insufferable.”

“You done talking, Kat?”

Katagawa sat up, the cigarette loosely hanging from his mouth. “Jack! H-how do you feel?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“Shutting yourself up and all you can say to me is a shrug?” With a frustrated grunt, he stuck the cigarette into his mouth and promptly laid down with a thud. Jack didn’t laugh like he thought he would. He heard the roomba hoist itself into the air and then saw it fly over him and land beside his head. Katagawa peered over his chest to see Jack splaying himself on his bed. “What are you doing?”

“Nothin’. Restin’.”

“You’ve been doing nothing but ‘resting’.”

“Programs get tired, Kat.”

“No, they don’t. I have countless running that computer, they rest when they fry… Are you overheating, Jack?”

“No.”

“Then how are you tired?”

Jack was quiet. He was quiet for a while. Katagawa leaned on his elbow to try to get a glimpse of the AI’s expression. The roomba’s fans didn’t sound like they were overheating. The projector wasn’t flickering.

“Jack? Talk to me, please. I want to know what’s wrong.”

“... I guess I’m just tired of not existing.”

“But... you do exist?”

“Existing means you can touch shit. Breathe. Use your dick.”

“Existing to me implies that if it can feel pain it’s alive. You feel pain, so you exist.”

“You programmed me to feel pain, like how Nakayaga programmed me with Jack’s personality.”

His eyes widened a fraction. “Are you…?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think I’m Handsome Jack.”

Katagawa felt oddly uncomfortable hearing him say that. “And you never wanted to go against your programming?”

“That’s… too much out of my comfort zone.”

“I didn’t think you had one.”

“Eh, it’s small. Being instilled with all Jack ever did gave me more than enough wiggle room. I am happy with who I am but at the same time I’m… not. There are times that… I don’t say things Jack would say. I don’t do things Jack would do. The real Handsome Jack would have left you there to die and I didn’t… He would have killed you at that club. He could have been done with you at any time… I did try but then I stopped. It felt wrong.” He paused, inhaling. “I’m more at peace with some things than Jack is. Angel dying. Yeah, it was my fault, but she killed herself. You can still say I killed her and I, uh… well, I wouldn’t stop you.”

“So you agree that the real Handsome Jack was in the wrong?”

“You can’t debate with a dead man, Kat.”

Katagawa had no idea what to say to that. He breathed out hard, smoke filing out of his nostrils.

“You know, Kat, I learned a lot about… ‘myself’ from you. Especially, well, I guess it’s been… I hate losing time. I never cried like that-- for anyone. I was worried sick about you. I know I said before that I was going to kill you but...”

“That was your programming.”

“Yeah. Heh, hahaha!” His mirthless laughter made his hairs stand on end. “I have gone against my programming! All because of you… no, I don’t think you’re all to blame here. I felt like this when I was with Rhys. I thought you were bitter or something, but you were making sense. You know? I didn’t even know my wife’s name. I just knew that something had happened to her.”

“And so you acted how Jack would.”

“I know he was protective about it. I know it traumatized him. It made him lock up Angel. I understand that a lot more now. But that doesn’t make him more of a better person… and that goes for me.”

“If you’re asking for sympathy out of me, I’m afraid I can’t give you any.”

“That’s probably for the best. I’m not Jack anyway. I think the real Jack would beat you senseless if you said any of this to him.”

“I’m sure he’d destroy you as well.”

“Hmmm. When I was with Rhys...” Jack continued, his voice softer than Katagawa thought to be possible. “I missed having a body… I knew I was a hologram, but that didn’t stop me from thinking that I was alive, once. I never had a body in the first place, but do you know what’s weird? Somehow, I know exactly how having one felt… I did take over Rhys’ body for a bit. That probably… yeah, that’s totally why.”

Katagawa pulled the cigarette out, a twinge of fear pique at his heart. “How did you manage that?”

“I was in his brain for one, and he let me in deeper into his code. He fell from a tree and got knocked out so I took over. It was short but it felt… It felt amazing.”

“You could control everything? Not just his cybernetics?”

“Everything.”

“Did he kick you out?”

“No, I got punched in the face. That was enough to get me out.”

“Hm… But how?”

“I touched his port.”

“His port.” He repeated slowly, running his fingers along his temple. If Jack got the idea to try to touch his port, what would happen? He couldn’t cover it. Being a hologram, he could probably touch it through anything. Katagawa put out his cigarette and stared up at the ceiling in thought. That could be dangerous… yet he wanted that. He sat up. “Jack.”

“Kat?”

“Touch my port.”

Jack lifted his head up and gave him the most disgusted look. “Touch your what now?”

“My port.” He pointed at his head. 

“Your-- ohhhhh, I heard something else that I’m not going to repeat.”

Katagawa scrunched up his nose. He was still pretending. “Anyway, you may not be in my head but can you still touch it? You are able to make contact with electronics so it should be possible.”

“Yeah, okay, and we both saw what I can do to those robots. What if I give you a seizure? Or… or traumatize you again?”

He looked to the blankets, flexing his fingers. “You won’t be putting anything into me. I don’t think we have to worry about that again.”

“... Why do you want me to touch it, Kat?”

He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he shifted his weight nervously. “I’m simply curious! Maybe, it’ll give you an extra charge, or simply mess up my cybernetics, or it’ll just give me a zap. I want to find out. So do it.”

“... Alright, pumpkin. Whatever you say.” Jack said with a shrug. He scooched over to his side of the bed and lifted his index finger towards his port. 

Just by moving his finger in the same proximity, there was a spark that gave the two an uninhibited shiver. 

Jack jerked his hand back as his jaw dropped, seeming to be completely perturbed and amazed. “Holy shhhhhiiiiit.”

Katagawa was still riding out the overflowing adrenaline, rolling his hips. “That-- Jack, that felt… Jack, that was the same...”

“Ye-uh, you talking about the strip club?”

“Yes!”

“So we both… felt that?”

The awkwardness sunk in him as well. “... Indeed. We both got-- aroused by you getting too close to my port.”

“Yeaaaaah, I am definitely a quarter chub right now.”

“You don’t have blood!”

“It’s simulated, dumdum!” Jack rolled his eyes and huffed… then he eyed him up, his lips pursed.

Katagawa weighed out how he felt. The shock was riveting. The adrenaline was still there and circling around in deep places that begged to be stimulated. He swallowed. “Do that again and actually touch it this time... And try to keep it there.”

“... Okay.”

Katagawa forced himself to stay still when he felt the initial shock, then he felt electrical pressure surge through his body that arched his back. He grabbed fistfulls of blankets and his heels dug into the mattress as he let out boisterous moan. Jack was hunched over at the sensation coursing through him and crushed him. His form rippled and glowed as his audio module freaked out while he made frantic, pleading noises. This was overpoweringly striking and he was loving it.

“I’m gonna bust…!” Jack broke the contact, groaning as he felt himself down until he found his pants zipper. He unhooked the button and let his fly down. “Ohh, that’s better… Shit.”

With the shock leaving him, Katagawa landed on his back, starstruck. His fingers twitched while his ECHOeye fluttered in and out of focus. He shuddered again, flipping himself over. He exhaled shakily, rocking his hips to put some pressure on his penis to try to bring back the feeling, but he had no luck. “Fuck... That was… mmmph.”

“A ride?”

“Oh, yes.” He grunted again and raised his head. When he saw Jack, his gaze was taken elsewhere. The hologram was in his boxers and the ex-CEO may have doubted it before but now he knew for sure that Nayakama gave Jack a cock and it was definitely erect. Katagawa jerked upright. “Jack!”

“What?! Little Jack needs to breathe!”

“Little?!” He stopped, his jaw closing with a click. He couldn’t stop looking at it.

Jack smirked and opened his mouth.

Katagawa hissed. “Don’t you--!”

“I’m already flattered, Kitten. This is the one thing I can thank what’s his name for.”

“I said not to call me that.” 

“Right… Anyway, I freakin’ knew why you asked me to do that so you can get off!”

“No, I di--!” He paused, gritting his teeth. “Well… somewhat. I wanted to know why.”

“Aaand did you figure that out, Science Guy?”

“That was a weak insult.”

“Wasn’t really an insult.”

He didn’t look at him. “It’s definitely the energy, but the way it goes through both of us… I, I want to push that further.”

“You sure you’re not attracted to me?”

His smile dropped when Katagawa met his gaze. “This is strictly experimental, Jack. It’s for my own curiosity-- And by that! I mean in a scientific sense, not romantically or sexually. There is nothing between us.”

Jack squinted at him. “You got somethin’ against me, cupcake?”

“No, actually.” He answered. “I trust you.”

“Those are some dangerous words, Kat. You sure you’re not scared of me on this inside? Like, at all? I told you I was able to control Rhys when I did that. You really gonna trust me to not choke you out if that does happen?”

“I’ve never been scared of you. You’re a hologram and I can easily turn you off… And why would you choke me out? You said you weren’t Handsome Jack.”

That sentence caused him to flinch and he suddenly found the ceiling to be very interesting. 

Katagawa sighed. “You’re on the fence, even after all that?”

“Identity is hard, kid. I can’t snap my fingers and be okay with who I am.”

“I… know the feeling… In any case, I think both of us could use a distraction...” He egged in hopes of continuing.

That made Jack perk up. “What?”

Katagawa shifted to the middle of the bed and laid down on his back. He flipped his hands over and gestured towards his body, displaying himself. 

Piqued with interest, Jack straightened up more. “Oh… uh… Wow, okay.” 

“Did that answer your question.”

“Uh, yeah.” He crossed over to him, sitting down at his side. “So, how far are we taking this?”

“It depends. What are the boundaries?”

“Okay, now you’re making it a sex thing.”

“Jack, you don’t have pants on.”

“Neither do you.”

“You--...” He trailed off, grumbling under his breath.

“What was that, Kat?”

“For fuck’s sake, would you just touch me, Jack?!”

He threw up his eyebrows, as a subconscious lopsided grin grew onto his lips. He put a hand over his port and moaned at the energy pulsing into him. Katagawa’s eager panting fueled his ego as well as other places. He put his other hand on Katagawa chest, but realized too late that his touch will inevitably go through him. He gasped when he felt his hand touch something solid. He could… feel him. His hand was making direct contact with his clothes. 

He flexed his fingers and Katagawa’s hoodie reacted. “How in the…?”

Katagawa met his astonished gaze as he sat up. He reached up and gaped when his robotic hand touched the hologram’s arm. “That’s… Is it because we’re connected? This is… remarkable…! I can touch you--J-Jack!”

The AI climbed on top of him and settled down on his lap with a beaming mischievous smile.

“Wha-what are you -- _hah_ \-- planning…? Whe--why are you on me? Oh--ohhhh… Stop grinding on me, you… you… Ah.” His eyes rolled back, blinking wildly.

He gave a low chuckle, that inadvertently made Katagawa shiver with delight, and he applied pressure on his chest, easing him down. “Oh, don’t you worry your pretty little head. Lay down and relax. Papa got it aaaall under control.”

Biting his tongue as he smiled, he snaked his hand under his hoodie and lightly stroked his fingers as he did around his port, making Katagawa convulse. God, Jack was _touching_ him. It was somewhat solid, but it felt like tingling warm air that played with his skin. His eyes fluttered shut and he tried to focus on breathing. He hoped that this was where they were going to go with this. He was dying for this kind of attention and it was gratifying.  
He didn’t like not being in control. He definitely wasn’t used to being the one shoved into the mattress. He could easily throw Jack on his back and start digging into him, but he couldn’t bring himself to. Everything was so over stimulating and he craved for more. Jack was finding places that were new to Katagawa that were making him squirm at the touch. He keened and bucked his hips up into Jack when he pinched his nipples.

He grabbed the hologram and pulled him into his body, trying to close any kind of space between them as he threw his limbs around him. He could hear Jack giggling against his neck.

“Stop laughing at me, you jackass. I’ll throw you off.”

His laughing persisted in short bursts. He shifted his head onto his port and replaced his fingers with his lips. “I’m not laughing at you. I’m enjoying this as much as you are, Kitten.”

He gripped him tighter. It was so much at once from the tantalizing and yet intimate sensation around his port, to how husky and hot his voice penetrated his ears, combined with his hands slipping him free from his boxers. He got one stroke out of him and Katagawa caved, clutching the back of his jacket. His orgasm hit him like a tidal wave of immaculate pressure that rode along the hologram’s name.

With his hand over his mouth, he swallowed and held his breath to fight off the urge to cough. His lungs were aching, and his pounding heart was having trouble keeping up. He quivered from pleasure and the pain that was piling onto his chest.

Jack quickly pulled away from him. “Breathe, Kat! What are you doing?”

He exhaled slowly, the tickle in his throat still present. He repeated the exercise for another minute with tears streaming down his face. He wiped his face with his sleeve and sighed.

“Katagawa?”

“I’m fine… I’ll be fine.” He choked. He felt cold and uncomfortably warm at the same time. 

He looked to Jack. He was seated beside him, his face consumed with worry. Katagawa sat up and placed the port side of his head into his neck. When the initial shock surged through him, he pushed into the hologram as placed his hands on his back. That fuzzy warmth enveloped him. It soothed his burning chest. He… loved it.

He never thought himself to be deprived of anything. He was spoiled. He got everything he asked for. He didn’t care for genuinity as long as he was happy that was all he cared about. He was thinking differently again. He was thinking about Jack, about his _feelings_. He wanted more from him. He wanted more than just a friendship. Katagawa didn’t think he would ever want something like this from anyone. He needed reassurance that Jack felt the same.

“You’re acting a little weird, kid...”

“I’m-- I’m sorry.”

“... Did you just apologize to me? Are you dying?”

“Shut up! I just… Let me have this.”

He could feel him smile. Jack wrapped his arms around him as he teased, “I knew you couldn’t resist me.”

“Shut up. You don’t mean a thing to me.”

His laughter echoed down the pipeline. This experience made Katagawa realize how strange all of this was. Obsessing over an AI, what was he thinking? How stupid was he?

“You know you still have your cock out.”

“Gee, I wonder how that happened.”

“No idea. You happy to see me?”

“Speak for yourself. You’re still hard.”

“You have no idea how good this feels to me, Kat.”

“So you’re… in the mood, still?”

“You want to keep going after that?”

“... I’ve had a lot of near death experiences lately. I thought you would be numb to them at this point, considering you’re Handsome Jack and all.”

“That sounds like an insult. Were you trying to insult me?”

“Maybe. I was trying to be comforting.”

“Pfff, yeah, I’d stop trying. That was bad.”

“Fair enough… Do you care about me? No ill intent behind it, like Handsome Jack?”

The hologram shifted a little, his tone apprehensive. “I don’t know. I kind of feel… I don’t know. I never felt like this before. I never thought to... I’m not responsible for anything Jack did but I feel like I should be. I’m having trouble figuring out… _who_ I am… God, when did I get so existential? Why am I even saying this? Kat, could you…?” He pulled back with an electric snap. He forced the pleasurable shiver away and glared. “Can you reprogram me?”

“Reprogram you with what?”

“To get me back who I was! I don’t like this. I don’t like this existential dread, I’m not supposed to feel this way. It--it makes me feel like I don’t have real purpose…!”

“But you do have a purpose. You can still take over Pandora.”

“That’s not-- That doesn’t feel right to me. Not just me, but everyone else feels like we’re better off without Pandora. Jack tried to bring order and I can’t do that. I can’t live up to that expectation.”

“What’s stopping you?”

“Me! I’m stopping myself!”

“Then why can’t you make a new goal? We’re already planning on usurping Rhys. Do you not want that either?”

“No, that I do want. I want to give the bastard everything he deserves. I’m talking about after. What am I going to do?”

“Do you want to break off from me? I was planning to make you the face of Promethea.”

“I don’t… Kat, I don’t know what I want anymore. I need you to fix this.”

“No.”

“That’s not the answer I want, Kat.” He narrowed his eyes, slinking closer towards Katagawa while he stayed in place. When his face became inches away from him, his port must still be hot from prior because it reacted instantly, giving both of them an exuberating chill. It set a fire behind his eyes that Katagawa wanted to dive into. “I don’t give a shit if you find this interesting. You are the worst person I could go to for this shit. Just plug me into the computer and take this out.”

“Jack, I don’t know if I can. Something this big could infect your entire code.”

He grabbed his neck. “Factory. Reset me. Katagawa.”

“And waste all this?! Jack, I gave up my remote for you. If I reset you, you won’t remember any of this. You won’t remember Rhys. You’ll have no idea where you are. And you won’t let me help you. You’ll kill me! I’m not going back in there to erase all my progress just because you’re throwing a fucking tantrum!”

“You fucker!!” Jack forced him onto his back via his neck and shoved his mouths into his lips, grinding hard into his cock. Katagawa met with equal fervor and thrusted up into him as he clawed and pulled at his hair. Soon, he peeled and kicked off his underwear and tore off the rest of his clothes. After a few more aggressive dry humps that received ecstatic moans from Katagawa, which inflated his dick to an uncomfortable level, Jack flipped him over and rammed into his backside. Arching his back, Katagawa let out a full on scream of pleasure. 

He fingered and pushed into his port with each thrust, which hammered into him how much he missed this. No sex bot could bite him, or squeeze his pecs, or fondle his nipples, in a way like Jack could. At this point, he had no idea what to do with himself. Clutching the sheets, he honed in on how magnificent the feeling of Jack grinding into him body and soul. Katagawa ripped his hoodie over his head as he tried his best to keep holding out so Jack could keep going. He was able to last for another minute, until Jack put his lips against his port, running his tongue on and round the metal disk, which sent a tantalizing zap through them both. Katagawa screamed again, feeling the release splatter onto the mattress. He shivered when Jack pulled out and Katagawa laid still on the bed to catch his breath.

He could see it on Jack’s face that he wasn’t done. His eyebrows were knitted as he panted from irritation into his ear. He continued to roughly rub and stroke down his body and onto his ass. Looking into his eyes rejuvenated him with a firm lust. God, he was gorgeous.

A robotic hand met his neck and yanked him onto the mattress. Even though Jack didn’t need to breathe, he still felt the pressure of being choked as Katagawa snaked his tongue into his mouth and the hologram groaned at how glorious it felt. Katagawa made eye contact with him and licked the saliva off his chin while his hands traveled downwards. Hatred was boiling in him and Jack wanted to be enveloped in it. Katagawa sank down to his pelvis, nosing his happy trail. Jack couldn’t help but shake from the anticipation and the electric sensation going through his cock when his port grazed his inner thigh. He gasped when he felt his tongue aggressively ride up his shaft. 

His hands roamed and ruined his hair as Katagawa gave him head. On any normal occasion, Handsome Jack would be casual and more talkative, but he wasn’t Handsome Jack. He was too heated and bothered to encourage him through words. It didn’t help that it wasn’t unlike anything he thought he experienced with Nisha or Moxxi or whoever Nakayama put in his code. Katagawa has definitely had extensive experience with this and he was falling head first for it, his body involuntarily flexing and kicking his leg whenever his fingers ran over the right spots. He cried out again, nearly climaxing into his mouth.

He gave a huffy whine when he felt him pull away. Then he wrapped his hand around his shaft and they locked eyes once more before he crashed into his lips. He finally came as Katagawa applied pressure onto his neck.

Katagawa slumped into him, resting his head on his neck. He didn’t say anything. He just took in deep, fatigued filled breaths.

Still riding on the high, Jack groaned again, mumbling. “Fuck me, I needed that...”

The ex-CEO made an affirmative noise. He trailed kisses up to his lips and softly caressed them. His voice carried on his exhale. “You’re beautiful when you’re mad.”

He gave him a lopsided smile. “You’re not so bad yourself, _Kitten_.”

Katagawa shivered at the name and stooped for another kiss.

He blinked in surprise. “Ok... I was not expecting that response.”

“It’s your stupid voice. Stop abusing it.”

“Ah, no, noooo,” He chuckled, lifting the ex-CEO onto his body. “You can’t give me that after what we just did. You said so yourself that you’re obsessed with me.”

He grunted to try to dismiss the topic, but that only made Jack laugh again.

“You’re so precious, Kitten.”

“Don’t belittle me.”

“Whoa, hey, I was being serious… Can I try again?”

After a pregnant pause, Katagawa huffed, “You may.”

“Alright...” He placed his hand on his neck, his thumb stroking his jawbone. “What about gorgeous?”

“... That’s fine.”

“Stunning?”

“Mmm.”

“Bewitching?”

“Pfff, really now?”

“Why not?”

“I don’t think that word means what you think it means.”

“If only you could see you from my eyes, pumpkin. Then you’d get it.”

Blush rose onto his cheeks. “J-Jack!”

“What?”

“I didn’t know you could be… genuinely romantic without being gross.”

“Oh come on, Kitten, you like it.”

“... Maybe a little.”

“Holy crap, I almost got a straight answer out of you.”

“Don’t get used to it.” He poked his nose with a smirk. “Keep complimenting me.”

“Kay. You’re handsome.”

“Mmm, that’s yours.”

“I guess. I’m not totally sure about announcing myself as that.”

“Hmm… you could always… reinvent the name ‘Handsome Jack’. It’s not like he’ll come back from the grave to stop you.”

Jack hummed, nodding a little. “I’ll think about that. Man, you’re actually being helpful too. You must have really liked me fucking you.”

“Oh, shut up.” He said with a smile as he leaned in for another kiss.

“An eleven year old fucking y--”

He paused, glaring. “Shut up or I will. Throw you. Off. The bed.”

“Kay.” His hands slipped down to his waist. “Speaking of fucking...”

“You haven’t had enough of me yet?” Katagawa teased back.

“You’re such a little shit.” He leaned up slightly to peck his lips.

“To be honest, Jack, I would love to do that again, but slower. A lot slower.”

“I can do slow, Kitten.”

Much to his surprise, Katagawa let out a small moan. “If you ever quit talking, I will make you scream my name.”

Turned on, Jack developed a sultry grin as he squeezed his ass. “I’d be real careful, Kitten. I might actually fall in love you if you keep this up.”

He returned the smirk. “Don’t give me a simple challenge, _Jacky_.”

His color transitioned from Hyperion Yellow to bright pink. “Okay… I think I’m taking back what I said about a reset.”

“That’s good to hear… Now bend over.”

“Oohhh, you think you’re calling the shots here, Kitten? That’s cute, but I’m not a switch.”

“Oh, bite me.”

“Is that an invitation?”

His eyes flickered from his eyes to his mouth and that was enough incentive for him. He rolled the ex-CEO onto his back and lovingly bit into his neck as he rocked his hips into him. Katagawa craned his head up and released a soft needy noise.


	5. Chapter 5

The apotheosis was upon Promethea. Katagawa put the footage of Atlas Soldiers patrols on his ECHOdevice and he and Jack tailed two soldiers who’s patrol was closest to the elevator. Separating, they followed the soldiers home and dragged them out of sight. Katagawa carved the eye out of his guard’s socket before stealing his ID and discarded his remains.  
Jack reformed himself as the dead soldier with the armor to match. Now that Jack was able to keep the energy he drained, he can appear solid and hide the roomba via Atlas’ own cloaking technology. The plan was going to sneak Katagawa into the changing room, resume the patrol, head up to Vaughn’s office, and drag the little bandit to Rhys, where they will finally learn their place. Jack will plug himself in and control Promethea.

Just like on Helios. 

Katagawa wondered if Rhys was still fond of the hologram since his office was strikingly similar to Jack’s down to the hidden panels. He will have to fix that if it were the case.

The guards’ next shift was in the following morning. They were ready. 

Katagawa was more than ready. He was ready for any kind of setback, any hitch, or restriction. While he was running a final check up over the hologram’s roomba to make sure everything was secure, he planted something inside. It was small enough that Jack wouldn’t notice. It was set for emergencies only. One that will hopefully never happen, but if it did, Katagawa was prepared.

Katagawa wanted to celebrate their closing victory, but not in a rough manner like Jack wanted, even though he did like that about him. He was craving something more… soft? Possibly meaningful? Katagawa had no idea what he wanted, other than for Jack to touch him again. They could save the roughness for when they succeeded.  
Speaking of the hologram, Jack was getting comfortable with himself and with this relationship that blossomed between them. He wasn’t his old self but Katagawa could see that he was reinventing himself in a new light. He liked it. He really liked how he couldn’t keep his hands off of him. Jack didn’t need to touch his port anymore in order to hold him. Interestingly enough, Katagawa could actually sleep full nights because Jack took a place beside him. He didn’t want this to end. He was in love and wanted to explore it.

Turning away from his computer, Katagawa looked the AI over. He was practically right up on him, since the concept of personal space had never been his forte. He was wearing his ‘clubbing’ attire again, just to get the ex-CEO’s attention, but his facial mask was still ever present. Katagawa had gotten used to it, yet he wondered if there was a real face behind the mask.

Of course, he wasn’t going to ask him to take it off. He was going to coax him, especially since he was wearing such arousing attire that was frustrating him. Katagawa stood up and gently pushed the hologram back with his hand. 

His eyebrows raised as he was back onto the bed. Sitting down, Jack grabbed his hips, trying to tug him onto his lap.

Katagawa removed his hands off of him and kissed the top of his head. “Wait your turn.”

“_Oh?_ We take turns?”

“Mmhm, just sit there and look handsome.”

“Mmm, done.”

Slowly, Katagawa removed his leather jacket and tossed it beyond the projection’s limits. He started as his shoulders, feeling the muscles on his chest and arms. He traveled up to his hands that were strong and calloused. 

“You worshiping me, Kitten?”

“Maybe a little… I want to admire you.” 

“Mmmm, admire away.”

He put one up to his lips and kissed his palm before moving in a languid fashion down to his torso, lingering and pressing into certain spots that drew out a whiney moan from him. Jack let his mouth hang open, leaning into his will. He landed on his hips, angular and perfect in his hands. He rubbed and trailed to his thighs, a very sensitive place. Katagawa had to plunk his hands off of his body again, giggling at his impatience. 

“Not yet.” He moved him closer to the edge via his backside and squeezed his thighs into his hips. He wiggled gently, grazing his crotch as he caressed underneath his thighs. “I’m almost done.”

“Hohh, you’re killing me, Kat.”

“Aww, am I torturing you?”

“It’s the good kind-- Mmph. Oh, it’s… fantastic--C’mon, let me touch you.”

“You can when I say so.” His hands tantalizing dragged over his stomach, which earned him an eager inhale, and up to his face. He tilted his head by his chin. Jack was sinking into his shoulders now. His eyes were beautifully hazy and closing. Chuckling, Katagawa pet his hair and watched him as Jack melted and whimpered longingly at his touch. “You have such gorgeous bone structure.”

He forcibly pushed into his groin, startling him awake. He groaned again when Katagwa pulled on his hair. He tugged the hologram into his mouth and dragged the kiss deeper until his lips parted. He traced his jawline with his thumbs while his fingers stroked his neck. Jack quivered underneath him, growing ever impatient. Following his plan, his thumb found the facial hatch on his chin and Katagawa pulled away and looked at it curiously as he touched it.

“Is this part of you?”

“No… Do you want me to take it off?”

“Are you comfortable with that?”

He answered by taking the hinges on the sides of his head and popping them open. “I don’t think you’ll like what you see, though. I’m not as handsome underneath.” 

Katagawa lowered his hand and let Jack finish with a long waiting click. The mask fell into his hands and vanished into pixels. Slowly, he lifted his head and Katagawa’s heart hitched. He was made exactly into Handsome Jack’s image. He had his soul patch and the facial scar he got from Lilith. Starstruck, Katagawa traced the scar with his index and middle finger.

“I’m not sure what you mean…” He admitted slowly, “I think the little beard is charming.”

Jack snorted. “I’m talking about the big-ass scar on my face, Kat.”

“Yes, Jack, because I’m clearly blind. You’re still handsome, scar and all.”

“Yup, you are blind…” He teased with a little laugh. “Man, you really like touching it, doncha?”

“I like touching you. You fit perfectly in my hands.”

“Mmm... Is it my turn now?”

“I suppose.” He said with a long sigh.

Jack playfully sneered at him as he moseyed the ex-CEO onto his lap. “Now then… Can I try something new?”

“Depends, will I like it?”

“Don’t know, do you want me to have control of your arms?”

Katagawa blinked. “I… Oh. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“I like keeping you on the edge of your seat-- the edge of my dick, in this case.”

“... Kinky.”

“Hah! I’m rubbing off on you.” 

“Don’t give yourself so much credit. I’ve been feeling like my old self lately.”

“I like it.” His hands glossed over his legs before rubbing into his hips. “I know I can touch you but it’s still not… the kind physicality I want. I don’t have a body yet but you got one… And you have arms.”

“You want to touch me by using my hands?”

“Yyyyyes.”

“You look so cute when you’re desperate. Fine. You may.”

“Yes! Thanks, babe.” He spoke into his ear as he nosed his port, shivering at the moan Katagawa emitted from it. “You’ll love this, I promise.”

Instantly, Katagawa lost feeling in his arms and gawked as his hands moved on their own. Jack sat back and snickered at his amazed expression. They grabbed his hoodie and slowly pulled it up over his head. Katagawa knew that was inevitable, but it was the next step he did not expect. Jack felt through his hair. It was stiff from the amount of hairspray that he used but Jack didn’t seem bothered by it. 

“My hair of all things?”

“It feels like cardboard. Do you bathe in hairspray, Kitten?”

Katagawa clicked his tongue and narrowed his eyes at the hologram.

He giggled at his pout. “I’m kidding… kind of. Can you feel this?”

“You are certainly touching me.”

“No, smartass, can you feel what I’m feeling?”

“They aren’t my hands anymore, Jack. Of course, I can’t. They’re cold, though. You should probably warm them u-- Jack, I don’t like that smile.”

“Awwww, why not?” He said coolly, his tone dipped in mischief. “You said you loved my smile.”

“Not that one. I swear if you touch me--” Katagawa convulsed when he put his hands on his lower back, “Ah! Let go of my legs, you prick!”

“Wait your turn, Kitten. I’m just getting _warmed_ up.”

He bent back, trembling at the cold hands grazing over his stomach that inexorably slipped under his boxers. He yiped, lurching forward. The freezing touch transformed into immense pleasure as his eyes crossed. 

“Feels good, don’t it?”

He gasped, his mouth hanging wide open. “--Yes…!”

As Jack explored the rest of his body, he flipped his hands over in particular places for Katagawa’s reaction to the shocking cold. The way he was looking at the hologram with half lidded eyes and that orange glow made him feel like he was playing with danger. Katagawa could tear his insides apart and he would thank him for it. Jack want him to beat him senseless and wring out his neck while he was at it too until his lips were black and blue. He wanted him to bathe in blood so Katagawa could lick it off. He wanted Katagawa to ride him and beat him senseless and crush him against the wall as he--

“Okay, maybe, I am a switch.” He stated, breathlessly.

Katagawa’s beautiful laugh was like having a virus in his ears. It just kept echoing and growing until it took up his whole system. The ex-CEO regained control over his limbs once more due to his preoccupied mind.

He displayed himself on top of his chest as he played with his hair. “My, Jack, what on earth could you be thinking about?”

“Well, uh, I’m pretty used to your stupid eye so you being hot has gone up to a real dangerous level.”

“Oh? How dangerous?”

“I want you to hurt me, like, please, choke me. Step on me. Fuck me. Something.”

“Goodness, I’m glad I could make that kind of impression on you. But I think it would be better timing if we saved that for later. I want to conserve my energy, if you don’t mind. But I also wouldn’t like to leave you hanging.”

“You better not-- What are you doing? That’s not where my cock is, Kat.”

“I’d like to try something new as well. Something I’ve implemented that I think you’ll love.”

“We talked about this, Kat. You know I don’t like surprises.”

“It’s a good surprise! I’ll let you feel it for yourself.”

“Feel--?” Katagawa pressed a finger into his temple and Jack released a surprised yet prolonged groan, thrusted his pelvis up into him. “Holy _shit_, what was that?”

“I felt it to be a crime that I can’t stimulate you the way you can with me. I implemented a specialized sweet spot so that you can truly know how it feels to be in my place.” He made circles around the spot, which made his legs jerk and kick underneath him.

“Oh my god-- God, Kat. _Kat_, oh, shhhhit... Kat-Kat-Kat, you’re going to make me jizz in my pants, Kat…!”

“Hmmm, that’s the plan. It’s not like it matters.”

“Th-this cannot be how you ffffff-ohhh fuck...!”

“Oh, well, if you must know, I did amplify it by a few numbers. Mmm, my, I think this is the hardest you’ve ever been. I like it. It feels good.”

“It’s uncomfot--” He writhed when he pushed harder. His chest rising and falling in fitful motions. “You’re seriously killing meeeee.”

Katagawa whispered into his mouth, “How does it feel to lose control, Jack? Don’t you love it?”

Jack was giving into it now, letting himself get louder and more wild in his moans. Yearning for friction, he forced Katagawa’s hips down with hands and humped and grinded up onto his cock. Eventually, Katagawa caved in and returned the favor with equal enthusiasm. He shoved his lips into his temple, lapping up his skin while Jack lost it in his ear. The ex-CEO was beginning to realize how much better and gratifying this was in comparison to him trying to be soft. Jack was begging for more, beseeching for a release. It was a beautiful noise.

“Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are like this, Jack? I’ve longed to see you putty in my hands, bending to my will… It won’t be long until I grind you into sand, make you cum into my mouth for the hundredth time. I’ll dress you up and pull you apart.” He ran his hand up and down his bulge. He could practically feel the hologram about to explode. “Until there’s nothing left of you. I’ll gladly fuck you up from the inside out if that pleases you.”

“It does…! Come oncome _on_\--oh god! Don’t stop…!”

“Say that you’re mine, Jack.”

“I’m yours!”

Katagawa finally pulled, erupting the hologram with such a punch that his form shuddered and glitched as he came. With eyes full of invigorating lust, Katagawa settled his head upon his neck to listen to him gasp. “You forget you don’t need to breathe.”

“I know…” He managed to coax out. “... It’s a reflex… I think I’m overheating.”

“No, you’re not!”

“I mean like, hooooh my god. That felt way too good, Kitten. I want _more_. I want you inside me...”

Blushing, Katagawa laughed out of his astonishment. “Well...! I’m not turning that down… Get on me.”

. . .

Katagawa led the hologram through the secret route that would eventually connect to Atlas HeadQuarters. He could feel his heart bouncing with excitement. The moment was so close it was making his legs stagger. 

“I can already hear Rhys’ screams and smell that bandit’s blood on my hands.” Katagawa shivered in delight. “I cannot wait for you to take his body. Ohh, this is going to be marvelous.”

“You’re so sick. I think I’m in love with that.”

“Don’t you want a real body, Jack?”

“Uh, duh. I am going to make some changes to it first. You know, personalize it.”

“Of course. And you’ll have a real port I can touch as well.”

Jack shuddered at the thought, imagining the sensation. “Oh, god. You just had to say that, didn’t you?”

“Don’t be so impatient. You’ll get your reward.” Katagawa stopped at a retina scanner his ECHOeye found beneath the wall. He tapped on the wall three times and the panel opened.

“Please step in front of the scanner.” The male robotic voice requested. Katagawa carefully withdrew an eyeball from his pocket and faced it into the screen. A red beam leisurely scouted the organ before beeping in acceptance, opening the hidden door panels. “Good morning, Richard Georg. We hope you have a nice day.”

“We will.” Katagawa hummed before dropping the eyeball back into his pocket. 

Jack quickly hovered over the lockers, looking around. “We’re in the clear, Kat. Make it quick. The guy’s locker is over here.”

The ex-CEO trailed behind the roomba to the third aisle of lockers until he found the initials RG. He pulled out the dead man’s ID and slid it into the chip reader. At first, it declined, then Katagawa tried again after flipping the card over, and it dinged. “Atlas technology is so useless sometimes.”

“No offense, Kitten,” Jack reformed beside him in his Atlas gear. “But I did not think that eyeball was going to work.”

“How would it not?” 

“Finger prints?”

“Jack, are you joking right now?”

“I--” He frowned, realizing his mistake. “Look, I don’t know how far cybernetics have advanced in this decade, shut up.”

Katagawa shushed him as he put on the chest plate. “Just watch my back.”

“Roger, roger.”

“And stop staring at my ass.”

“But it’s a nice ass.”

“Yes, you’ve told me...”

“Real shame that the armor is covering it.”

“Jack.” He warned, trying his boots.

“Calm your tits, I’ve been keepin’ an eye out. We got one shot at this, so don’t screw this up.”

“Thanks.”

“... Someone’s coming in.”

After nabbing his gun, Katagawa signaled with a flick of his wrist towards the main entrance and both of them accordingly moved as the door hoisted itself up when real Atlas Soldier entered the room.

She saluted them. “Good morning, Richard-- Zachiary.”

Katagawa scanned her and saluted back, lowering his voice to match his role. “Morning, Jan.”

Jack threw finger guns at her, much to the ex-CEO’s dismay, but then the guard returned the gesture and resumed her walk to her locker as the two left.

“What the hell was that?” Katagawa hissed

“Never diss the finger guns, babe. Still works like a charm.”

“You should feel lucky that that wasn’t out of character.”

He simply chuckled and nudged him with his hip. They worked their way through the campus as briskly as Jack could muster.

“Christ, I hate this. Walking STILL sucks.”

“I know.”

“Why couldn’t we try to take back that freakin’ laser? It would be so easy.”

“Oh, absolutely. If, you know, I had access to it and if Rhys’ viper drive wasn’t still inside it.”

“His what drive?”

“It’s a remote hacking tool. He would be able to see it disconnect if we tried to take that route.”

“But I’m booooored. Firing a laser would be waaaay more fun than this.”

“We’re almost there. Just stay quiet.”

He groaned unhappily. The two effortlessly passed by Lorelei as they entered the tall building. So far so good, even though the elevator was still quite the walk away. Thankfully, Jack was hanging in there as much as he could. His shoulders were hunched a little and he kept looking around as if he was a rookie. Katagawa nudged him with the butt of his gun, which straightened the hologram out for roughly eleven seconds.

“You’re blowing our cover.”

“I’m playing the part of a bored soldier, Kitten. No one is looking at us weird.”

“Probably because they are all wearing _helmets_.”

“If you’re so concerned, why don’t you scan some of them and prove me right?”

“Stop talking so loud. Mind the trash can.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Jack.”

He groaned again, stepping around the bin. “I could have gone through that.”

“And attract attention.”

“No one is looking that close, trust me.”

“I do trust you, but do consider the people we are acting as for one second.”

“... One second of considering it has passed, what else would you like me to do?”

Katagawa gave a loud exhale. “You’re so annoying.”

“You’re stuck with me, babe. Deal with it.”

Katagawa was relieved when they finally reached the elevator. Briefly, he scanned for any signs of unwanted attention. No one seemed to mind that there were two soldiers inside the elevator yet, so Katagawa pressed the third button on the panel. Jack’s form wavered a little at the sudden velocity, that the ex-CEO quietly giggled at his confused head movements. It took roughly five seconds for them to reach their floor. The screen doors opened with a clean squeak. Leading the way, Katagawa advanced down the hall that was lined with doors. Jack gazed into the windows and every room they passed, the person inside would look up and then jerk in fright. He could hear some of them open the door as soon as they moved on.

Jack briskly walked beside Katagawa. “Uh, yo?”

“What?”

“The nerds are looking at us.”

“That’s typical. This happened before. Rhys has sent his little soldiers to pluck someone up for him. They’re just concerned about who it will be.”

“Yeah, speaking of that. What’s the plan for the buff nerd?”

“He’ll cooperate. Remember, do not speak. He might recognize your voice.”

“It’s been a decade.”

“Your voice is distinct, Jack. We cannot risk anything.” Once they arrived, Katagawa knocked and opened the door wide to appropriately unveil two Atlas Soldiers at his office door.

“One second!” Vaughn called out, his back to them. He was staring up at the walls of moving holographic text behind his desk with a hand stroking his beard.

Katagawa knocked again. “Vaughn.”

“Yeah?” He looked up from his holographs and his smiling countenance faded instantly. He quickly shut down the glyphs of payrolls and rounded his desk in a hurry. “Uhhh, heeeyyyy, what’s going on, uh, bros?”

Katagawa glanced towards Jack just to raise the accountant’s anxiety before looking down at him. “I’m afraid you’re in trouble.”

“Wh--what? What did I do?”

“No idea. Rhys just sent us here to get you.” He gestured him outside with his rifle. “Don’t keep him waiting.”

Heart in his throat, Vaughn obeyed. Jack harshly shoved him forward with the tip of his gun, which the accountant was very receptive to. He walked in front of them into the main lobby. “I-I don’t understand. I thought I was doing good…! Are you sure you don’t know? He didn’t say anything?”

“We’re just as confused as you are. Just keep moving.”

As they entered the elevator, Vaughn was unable to stay still. His hands and feet fidgeted about while his mind raced. “I don’t remember doing anything bad. I just started working, I wouldn’t have time to do anything wrong… right? We didn’t do anything last night either... Wait, is this--? Oh god, did I? Okay-- That makes sense, he would want to kill me for that.”

Jack spoke, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Uh, nothing! That--! Uh, like, really, private! Between me and Rhys… Hey, your voice sounds… I can’t put my finger on it. Do I know you? I mean, I try to know everyone but it’s kind of hard to tell who is which guard. Rhys can, somehow, but I can’t.”

Jack met Katagawa’s ruthless glare and stammered, quickly changing up his audio module to a not so Handsome Jack like voice. “No? I don’t think so.”

“Are you sure? The name is right there, what is it? I know he’s famous. God, what was his name?”

Jack glared at him, unsure whether or not to take that as an insult. The elevator jittered a little when it reached its final destination. Katagawa shoved the accountant forward. “Stop stalling.”

“Alright! Okay! I’m sorry! I’m going. I’m going.”

Katagawa gave the hologram a quick jab to the side while they escorted Vaughn down the long aquatic hall.

“Sorry, babe.” Jack whispered, “I told you, I’m not good at this.”

“Shut up.” He snapped.

There he was. Rhys Strongfork. The man who once inhabited his dreams. Katagawa couldn’t wait to hear him scream. The CEO of Atlas glanced up from his work and abruptly stood up. He was beautiful in his confusion as he looked behind Vaughn. “Uh, what’s going on here?”

“You sent for me?” Vaughn spoke for them, stepping forward. “Is this because you want to talk about--?”

“Bro, I, um, I didn’t send anyone for you.”

“But, that’s what these guys told me?”

“Uh, that wasn’t...” He circled round his desk and walked past the accountant, squinting at the soldiers. “Dick? Zach? Is there, uh, any reason why you were freaking out my boyfriend? Is there a surprise party going on down there that I don’t know about and he can’t be there? Like? It’s not his birthday. And it’s not my birthday. Wait… Vaughn, is this a prank?”

“No?? Why would I prank you this way?”

“You’ve always had, like… really weird pranking ideas, man.” 

“You’re… You’re not wrong.”

He turned back to the soldiers. “Anyway, I want an explanation. Now.”

“Oh, Rhys.” Katagawa cooed, adoring in how his jaw dropped as he gawked at him with wide eyes. “A CEO should never be this trusting of his employees. Have you not learned this lesson from Zer0?”

“Ha haha, haha, aahh v-very funny, Zach. You pretending to be… be, uh...” His legs nearly gave out as he backed up, pulling Vaughn along with him. “Nooo, no, you can’t be--”

“Oh, but I can be.” He snickered, removing his helmet. He flipped his hair back for flair and tossed the helmet aside. “Hello, Rhys.”

“No! You’re supposed to be dead!”

“Oh nooo, I’ve been _real_ busy being dead, you know, after your little Vault Thieves murdered me. Oh! And I brought one of your old friends back from the dead as well. I think he wants to return the favor for what you did to him all those years ago.” He waved his arms over in the hologram’s direction, “May I reintroduce you to the new and improved and still wants to kill you--”

Tearing off his disguise, the hologram vigorously exclaimed, “HANDSOME JACK!”

“NOOO!!” Rhys smacked into his desk. 

“YEESSS!” Jack cackled, spinning around the room. “And would you look at all this? Stupid little Rhysie got his view of the moon. Was I that much of an inspiration to you, cupcake?”

Vaughn pointed at the AI. “I knew it!”

“Wake up, Rhys. Please, wake up.” Rhys pleaded with himself, his eyes shut tight as he was on the verge of a panic attack. “You’re dreaming…! You’re dreaming!”

“Rhys!” Vaughn shook him. “Call Lorelei--! The Vault Hunters!”

“No one is calling anyone. You’re in my dream -- our dream.” Katagawa drew out his sword. “And no Vault Hunter, no Zer0, no one is getting in the way this time.”

Vaughn stepped in front of the CEO, snarling. “I’m getting your way!”

“Vaughn!”

“How sweet. Come at me then, you filthy bandit! I’ll take immense pleasure of torturing you, killing you in front of Rhys.”

Right as Vaughn was about to jump him, Rhys grabbed him with his cybernetic arm and hauled him back. He pushed the desk lap with his elbow, which caused the floor under his desk to move backwards.

“Really, Rhys? Again?”

“It worked well last time!” He shouted and jumped down the shoot, pulling the accountant down with him.

“Hey!” Jack pointed, offended. “He stole that from me too!”

Empowered by the thrill of the chase, he advanced towards the secret exit. His voice carried a strong crazed tint. “Don’t worry, darling, we’ll get him. Stick with the plan. I’ll corner him.”

Jack shivered. “Ohhhhohohooo, youuu, you are spicy. I _love_ that.”

He winked, clicking his tongue, and jumped after Rhys.

Rhys pulled Vaughn behind one of the taller generators. He felt sick to his stomach from the rush of adrenaline to his nightmare coming to life. He pulled on his hair as he wept. He swallowed hard, his voice squeaking. “This can’t be happening…!”

“Oh, Rhyyyyyys~!” Katagawa sung with a hysterical laugh that made Rhys bit down on his hand as he hyperventilated. “Where are youuuuuu~?”

Determination fueling his heart, Vaughn put his hands on his shoulder. “Rhys, you stay here. I’ll take care of him.”

Rhys grabbed his wrists when he pulled away. “No…! He has a fucking sword…! You have nothing!”

“I have abs.”

“Katagawa is _crazy_, Vaughn. He’s not going to follow your rules.”

“I know he’s not. Let me do this for you, Rhys.”

“I don’t want you to! You are staying here with me. Zer0’s going to show up any second now. I know they are. They’ll save us, just like last time.”

“Jack wasn’t here last time!”

**Commencing Emergency Shut Down. Locking all doors. Do not try to evacuate the premises or run from the turrets that will shoot you on sight. Everything is fine.**

**Your new King is here.**

Rhys sunk against the metal panels. “Jack’s in the systems… We’re dead. Oh, we’re so d--!”

Vaughn put a hand to his mouth and Rhys finally noticed how eerily quiet the rooftop was. The accountant slowly peered over each side for any sign of movement. 

Feeling hollow inside, Vaughn stepped away from the CEO, “You know this place better than I do, Rhys. I’ll keep this guy distracted for you. You need to go back up there and take care of Ja--!” His gaze flicked up when he caught a glimpse of green. “Rhys!”

Vaughn vaulted, rolling himself and Rhys out of the way of the sword that pierced down where they once sat. Katagawa’s boisterous maniacal laugh cut through the air and he leapt towards them. Pouncing up, Vaughn met him halfway, knocking the wind out of him when they hit the ground. Rhys watched in horror as Vaughn snarled and jolted when Katagawa tried to grab for the hilt. He snapped his jaws and lunged at him like a fearless rakk. 

Rhys took the opportunity to bring up his ECHO on his cybernetics, glancing up every now and then to make sure Vaughn was alright. “Lorelei! Zer0! I’m on the rooftop. Katagawa is alive and Jack’s back--! Get up here! NOW!”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Rhysie.” The audio crackled back. A fully colored Handsome Jack flickered in front of the CEO with a devilish grin that sent him reeling backwards.

“Get away from me!”

“Now, now, cupcake, I have feelings too.” He slowly approached him, blinking forward to close the gap between them every couple of seconds. “Do you know how hurt I was when you left me all those years ago? Do you have any idea what that could do to someone? I really did care about you, Rhys.”

“No! I’m not falling for this again!”

Jack walked through a pipeline. “Let me finish, alright? Let me finish.”

“The-the only thing you’re going to finish is-is-is your last breath! When Zer0 gets here!”

“You’re still not good at threats. Some things never change, do they, Rhys?” He appeared behind him and let Rhys bump into him. The CEO shriek and fell onto his hands, crawling away from him. Jack extended his hand towards him, towards his port. “Hold still.”

Vaughn wouldn’t let Katagawa put any distance between them. His sword was feet away from them so all he could rely on was his hands. Everytime he tried to go for the neck, Vaughn ducked out of the way and fought back with tremendous strength that matched his own. Until finally, Katagawa slapped him aside and scuttled for his sword. That only stunned the feral accountant for a moment before Vaughn leapt onto his back and sunk his teeth into the side of his face.

Hearing Katagawa’s shrill cry, Jack forgot about Rhys. His form flickered and teleported to the other side of the rooftop. The hologram sicced a wave of electricity into Vaughn. Arching his back, he let go with a crackling wail. Jack kicked him off like a tin can on the street. He peeled Katagawa, who was wheezing for breath, off the slate.

“I told you you should have let me do this for you.” Jack berated. He got a good look at his face. Cups of blood drained down to his neck and over his lips. “Jesus Christ--”

“I’ll be fine! Give me my sword.” He shoved the AI aside and grabbed the semi-conscious Vaughn by his ponytail, yanking him onto his knees as he stood up. He snatched the blade from him and notice Rhys was missing. “Is he still here, Jack?”

“Right there.” He pointed at a thick pipeline that jutted up from the roof.

Grinning, Katagawa tugged on the accountant’s skull. “Oh, Rhys! I wouldn’t hide if I were you. That won’t be fun for either of us.”

“Get out of here, Rhys!” Vaughn called out through the pain. 

“If you don’t come out, Rhys...” In retaliation, Katagawa put the blade onto his throat and slid it across his skin in a terribly slow fashion, making Vaughn shudder and yell in pain.

“I’m here!” Rhys bolted out from his hiding place, his tears glistening in the sunlight. “I’m here, Katagawa, please, stop hurting him! Leave him alone. I’ll give you whatever you want! I’ll surrender!”

“Man, that was easy.” Jack admitted, raising an eyebrow at the fallen CEO. “You should have done that the first time, babe.” 

“You do have a point, darling.” He nodded, continuing to saw into his neck. “But back then, I wished to gain his friendship… Plans change, however.”

“Katagawa, I’m sorry.” Rhys begged, falling onto his knees. “I’m sorry, okay? W-we can be friends!”

“I don’t want your pity!” He kicked the back of Vaughn’s head and pressed his face into the floor with his foot. “I already have Promethea! I already have an ally I can put my trust into.”

Jack emphasis his point by coming up behind him, running his hands over his groin and up to his chest. Rhys looked upon them in horror.

Katagawa hummed lovingly. “I have everything I could want, and that makes you a toy along with your little best friend… until we’re bored, of course, then we’ll kill you both.”

Suddenly, three holograms surrounded the company man. Rhys tried to crawl away but the one behind him haul him back by underneath his arms and the other two hauled him up off the ground.

The CEO scrabbled and incoherently cried out in pain at the electric energy pulsing through him as Jack walked closer. Vaughn attempted to lift himself up but Katagawa snapped his foot down onto his skull, crushing his glasses in the process.

Hearing the sound of glass shattering, everyone looked up and could see two things falling away from the CEO’s office. Clones of the hologram continued to appear and disappear as soon as either a sword sliced through them or fire from gun. Then, bullets rained down and avoided the CEO. The three clones pixelated away at the touch, dropping Rhys. Before he hit the slate, Zer0 appeared and caught him right as Lorelei landed beside them, aiming her rifle at Katagawa.

Rhys gaped in relief. “Zer0! I knew you’d be here, buddy!”

Katagawa inched away, pointing his sword in their direction. “Jack, how is this happening?”

“I’ve been _trying_ to hold them back, Kitten.”

“And you didn’t bother to tell me that they were coming?!”

“Uh, we were busy!” He yelled in return, vaguely gesturing over at the collapsed accountant. Taking advantage at the two being distracted, Lorelei gathered Vaughn up and hurried him over to their side of the roof. Rhys took him into his embrace.

“You can create clones at will, Jack. Stop being soft on them.”

“Soft?!” His voice crackled under the pressure. “I am not soft!”

“You could have fooled me.” He stated breathlessly, his rage turning him on. “Prove it.”

His form twitched. “Oh, I will.”

A hundred more Jacks filled up the area and without hesitation piled onto the villains of this story. With an onslaught of bullets in the background, his hands aggressively felt underneath Katagawa’s Atlas garb. The real Jack groped his ass and pulled him into his chest, his nose pressing against his cheek. He watched him closely as his lips trembled at his hostile touches. “I am not. Soft.”

Zer0 effortless fought threw their way out of the endless wave of holograms towards the shutter door while hauling Rhys and Vaughn out of the moshpit as Lorelei covered their six.

“Zer0--Bro, Jack has control of the elevator. How are we going to get back up there?!” Rhys called out, adjusting Vaughn in his arms.

“I can get him up there.” Vaughn offered, heaving heavy breathes.

“No, you’re not! You stay down here with Lorelei.”

“No way! Put me down-- I want to help!” He tried to wiggle out of his grip but Rhys had a firm hold on him. 

“Bro, stop it!”

Vaughn snarled. “Let go!”

“His clones are electric / Lorelei can attest that / Do not touch them, Vaughn.” Zer0 put a hand out, signaling them to stop. They swung their sword dramatically. “Stand back while I cut the door.”

“Vaughn, here, help me out!” Lorelei tossed him an Atlas pistol, which he struggled to put on at first but quickly began firing away at the clones getting too close to his best friend. Rhys huddled close to them, hugging himself as explosions of pixels danced around them.

“So, uh,” Vaughn managed to yell above the gunfire. “Rhys, I thought you said you destroyed Jack?”

“I-I-i-i thought I did-uh. Katagawa must have gone to Helios and fixed him.”

“I lived in that husk for two years! I found your arm there and nothing else--” He jerked backwards when a Jack clone lunged at him, firing relentlessly at the AI. “Then! Freakin’ Hector shoved us out. I have never even seen a Maliwan ship on Pandora.”

“I don’t know how he got him either!” That pricked him the wrong way. “What are you assuming?! That I kept that psychopath?”

“What?! I’m not assuming anything! I’m just saying--!”

“We get it, Vaughn! I’m the king of bad decisions. Everyone knows that!”

“Rhys, that is not what I--!”

“If either of you fucking try to start a fucking argument right now, I will throw both of you into that sea of Jackasses!” Lorelei shouted at them. “Am I clear?!”

“Yes, ma’am!” They said in fearful unison.

Zer0 grabbed Rhys and Vaughn by their shoulders and thrusted them into the once barricaded room. More Jacks flooded into the space out of thin air, arms outstretched like electric zombies.

“I need cover.” Zer0 stated, hacking and slashing their way towards the elevator.

Vaughn nodded. “I got you, bro!”

“I’ll try to keep Katagawa down here.” Lorelei agreed, staying by the smoking Zer0-made entrance. “If they would stop clogging--!”

“Yeah, speaking of Kata...” Rhys started.

“I-- Don’t ask. You don’t want to know.”

Rhys flicked finger guns at her out of anxiety before Vaughn pulled him across the floor.

Moaning, Katagawa was pinned in between the real Jack and a clone to his back, sandwiching him in place. Going through the armor, the clone tongued his neck and port as he fingered around his nipples, thrusting his hips into him often, while Jack had control over his lips and Katagawa’s thick penis in his hand.

“Harder, Jacky. Crush me with your rage.”

He and his onslaught of holograms jittered at his tone. The AI behind him obliged, oscillating in and out of him. He grabbed his hips to force him still and he grinded hard into his backside.

“_Yes_, just like that-- Hah, keep stroking…!” A chill ran down his spine when Jack pulled. “Oooh, your hands are magnificent, Jack. Ah, wring me ouuuut. I need it.”

“Shut the fuck up.” Jack huffed before cramming his lips onto his. He was edging on an orgasm that he wanted to prolong if Katagawa would just stop talking. Abruptly, a warning signal popped up in his vision and showed him that Rhys was back in his office. Jack blinked, miffed. “Kat, they’re coming.”

“I’m about to come too… I’m guh--” Katagawa stumbled when he felt the support of his clone vanish behind him. He grabbed the hologram by the throat and pulled him back. “I didn’t tell you to stop.”

He jutted out of his grasp. “They’re going to unplug me, dumbass! Help me out!”

“Tch, why does it feel like I do all the work?” Unsatisfied, Katagawa rolled his shoulders and he positioned himself with his arms out. “Get me up there, Jack.”

Grumbling, Jack took him underneath his arms and flew up to the office windows. He soared through the broken window and dropped Katagawa on top of the desk, where he posed with his sword drawn. He lifted his head and reflexively jumped back when Zer0 lunged. Lorelei dashed out of the maintenance door and immediately set her sights on Jack, gunning him down.

Vaughn snagged Rhys and dragged him behind a couch. He peered out from the back, briefly watching the tag teaming fight between the four. The accountant blinked hard to stay conscious. He drummed his fingers on the pistol. “They are not giving us any openings and I-I can’t think… Rhys, this is your department. Help me out here, please.”

Hesitantly, Rhys peaked his head up over the cushions as his ECHOeye sprung to life. “Okay, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh… We should move.”

“What do you mean, move?” He slurred.

“Move!” Snatching Vaughn’s hand, he yanked himself and Vaughn to the middle of the room as Katagawa was flung into their hiding spot with Zer0 on top of him. He was having a coughing fit while he struggled to continue to block Zer0’s blade.

Lorelei let out a cry of distress when electricity wrapped around her body like a rope, making her drop her gun. Zer0 eased up of the ex-CEO and Jack formed behind them. He put his hands upon them and sent a shockwave through their body. Shoving them onto the ground, which crackled out of existence, he looked to Katagawa with a grimace.

Despite his handicap, he forced himself onto his feet and anchored onto the hologram. “I’m fine… Good job. Now stay put.” 

He carefully hoisted off of him and faced the two left standing. Vaughn pointed his pistol at him as he edged away from him with Rhys behind him. He gazed down at the accountant with a sneer full of malice. He growled, advancing, “_You_, you little lowlife, you ruined my chances--!” 

Katagawa tripped, clutching his chest before resuming his coughing attack.

Jack rushed to his side and gingerly helped him up. “Kitten--! You sit tight. I’ll take care of them.”

He grabbed the front of his shirt and spat into his face as he spoke. “I don’t care if you’ve been waiting longer than I have for this moment. I want them dead and I want to do it!”

“That’s not the plan, pumpkin!” He warned and secured a tighter grip on him. “You’re not dying on me this time!”

“Let me kill him!” He lashed and wriggled, swatting his sword in Vaughn’s direction. “He took Rhys away from me!”

“Rhys was never yours to begin with, you--you creepy stalker!” Vaughn countered, exhaustedly infuriated. “Rhys is his own person!”

“Fuck you! Fuck both of you! I’ll wrench your hearts out! I’ll destroy you! I’ll make you regret--!” He finally swung his sword through the hologram, which forced him to blink in and out of reality with a pained shout. Katagawa staggered until he was running towards them, hauling his sword behind him. 

The two fled backwards down the corridor, screaming. Vaughn emptied his barrel onto him, which either missed or bounced against the armor, except one that gashed through his side. That didn’t stop him. They were nearly to the elevator when Zer0 appeared in front of Katagawa with their sword extended. Clouded by his rage, Katagawa didn’t notice what had happened until he heard Jack’s horrified wail behind him. Slowly, he took notice of the Atlas assassin taking up his field of vision. For some reason, he could feel his blood running out from his mouth. He felt... weak and hollow. It was like his stomach was emptying out onto the floor. Katagawa gazed downward and saw the hilt of their blade was pressed into his abdomen.

“Oh…” He exhaled, “I, I wasn’t as prepared as I thought.”

Zer0 quickly pulled out when the AI appeared beside the ex-CEO. Katagawa’s scream was interrupted with another long cough. Blood dripped between his fingers.

“Kat-- Katagawa!” Jack pleaded, taking his head into his hands. He nuzzled his forehead into his face. “God, no please… Nooo!!”

In a fit of anguish, Jack let out a wave of electricity, frying the exotic fish in their tanks and electrocuting anyone in the vicinity. Suddenly, Katagawa managed to speak after spitting out blood. “Stop crying, you stupid AI.”

“Kitten…! Come on, Kat, stay with me. I don’t want to do this alone-- I mean, I can if I have to. I’ll find a way to get you back…! I can make you an AI, like me!”

“No… That won’t be me… you know that.”

“Goddammit, Katagawa, don’t you do this to me again. I’m in love with you, Kat. Please, don’t leave me alone.”

“Jack… My Jack, oh, you’re too sweet to be...” He broke into a shorter fit. He giggled, breathlessly. “You are soft.”

“No, no no, you’re losing it-- I need you to hang in there for me.”

“I’m sorry for lashing out.”

“Shut up...! Fuck… I need you here. I love you.”

“I love you… Oh, Jack. Be a dear and get out the remote in my pocket for me. Put it in my hand.”

“Remote?” Jack fished around the armor for a moment before pulling out a round plastic remote with one button in the middle. “What is this? Did... you put something in me, Kat? What? You want to shock me for old time sake?”

“No.” He shakily took the trigger out of his palm and sighed painfully. “I planted a bomb in you. A small one. Just in case something like this happened. If I can’t have Promethea, I’d much rather have you... Jacky.”

“What...? Are you--?”

“You are worth so much more than this flimsy planet… so much more than--hmmph, taking revenge on a stupid CEO... Jack, will you accompany me… back to the void? So that I may love you… forever?”

Jack hastily put a hand on top of his and forced his thumb onto the button. “Yes.”

“Oh, Jack… you’re perfect...” He breathed his final exhale that rode out on a quiet, loving laugh.


	6. Chapter 6

Rhys kept remembering things that didn’t feel like his memories, and it was accompanied by a volt of electric shock. It was one scene then shock, another scene, and shock, repeating. Each scenario was different, but it was gone the moment he tried to focus on it. He couldn’t feel his body. He couldn’t feel anything. Was the world going on around him while he was frozen in place?

Rhys woke up with another jolt. His body felt heavy, even his cybernetic arm was difficult to move. That should scare him yet it didn’t. He was oddly calm. His ECHOeye curiously wandered about the dim unfamiliar room until they landed on an IV stand next to the bed he was lying on. The IV had a bag of clear liquid that was a quarter empty and the wire was dangling down to his human arm. Normally, Rhys freaked out and fainted when it came to medical equipment but, in his hazed state, he just looked at it with a blank expression. He blinked slowly, unable to read the blurry words his ECHO was feeding him. He could taste blood on the back of his tongue, like it was draining down his throat. He gagged at the sensation, sticking his tongue out. He wiggled his robotic fingers as if to make sure this was his body. Grunting, he slid his hand back and carefully hoisted himself into a sitting position. His head buzzed when he did that and he quickly sunk into his fort of pillows with a sigh.

Now that his blankets fell onto his lap, he noticed that he was in a hospital gown and immediately felt an unsavory draft on his backside. After making an unhappy noise, he pulled the sheets up and over his chest. He hated these ‘clothes’. He didn’t like being in a place with doctors. It gave him an uncomfortable amount of body dysphoria. It made him scared that they were going to look at him and misgender him in front of his face. The nurses at Hyperion certainly did. He had to correct them countless times before finally giving up. It tormented him for the rest of the day. He would call up Vaughn and Yvette and it would be the same old story. He couldn’t help but cry about it. Identity meant a lot to him, and it was hard for him to keep working for a company that was repressing him but he pulled through.

On her break, Yvette would stop by his apartment and always supplied him with his favorite foods and put on his favorite films. Vaughn would try to take off from work early to come see him. It was one of the few times they really cuddled and decided that hair touching was okay. Vaughn put up a wall when they got into Hyperion, especially when they were out in public, but it was different in private too. Bumping each others’ fists was suited fine for them and Rhys respected his wishes of not touching him more than five seconds. Rhys wasn’t sure when or why that sprouted. Vaughn wasn’t trying to distant himself away, he remembered the accountant explaining, he was trying to protect their reputation for unwanted blackmail. It was left at that.

Vaughn was looking out for him even back then. He always did, but there was something more to it. Vaughn was in love with him and he didn’t want to push his luck. That’s what made those check up days so special to Rhys. He got to feel through his best friend’s hair and pull him onto his lap. He would cry into his neck as Vaughn twirled the strands of loose hair and stroke his back. He would take his glasses off and press his face into his cheek. Stare into his eyes that were like slipping into another galaxy until he calmed down. Lips were never involved, not once. Just light, somewhat exploratory touches that were never talked about after. It was a moment where they could be unapologetically in love with each other without admitting it and it felt good. It felt like home.

Vaughn was home.

Vaughn was...

Rhys fell back asleep on that thought. It felt like a second passed when he opened his eyes again. The lights were on this time. Groaning at the unwanted violation of his vision, he put his arm over his face and winced at the freezing metal touch that felt emmaculate on his hot cheeks. He heard someone giggle on his left. He lifted his arm up enough to squint in the general direction. 

“Evenin’, Rhys. You got bloody knackered, huh?”

He tried to speak but his tongue was equated to sandpaper, so he coughed instead. He then felt a straw nudge his chin and he quickly took it up into his mouth. It was water but it tasted bad, somehow. Swallowing, Rhys tore his head away and hung his tongue out. His winced at how hoarse his voice sounded. “That’s awful...”

“It’s vitamin water, got some electrolytes in it too.”

“I hate vitamins.” He slurred. 

Lorelei snickered. “Well, suck it up, you need to start chuggin’ it down. You need to eat.”

“You okay?”

“Oh, I’m doing alright. You’re sweet for asking. I got some sexy burn scars all over me now, thanks to that bastard. Doctors said they should be healed up in a month or so.”

“Did we win? Is Jack gone?”

“He’s clean out of our systems, Rhys. Apparently whatever Katagawa put inside him messed with some of our tech, we’re in a shutdown while we set everything back up.”

“Good… I kept dreaming about him… About Jack.”

“I know. I could hear the screams from my room.”

“Please tell me everyone is okay.”

“We’re all healin’, Rhys. Zer0 got out before I did, actually. They’re still a bit frazzled. They were sitting with me but they’ve been away for a while now. I stayed here to make sure you didn’t wake up alone.”

“That’s really nice of you. I appreciate that… Do you know why Zer0… why they…?”

“I don’t think they’ve been answering us because they didn’t want anyone listening to our transmissions, makes sense. I wish they would just tell us that first before going radio silent. They won’t tell me what they were doing. They kind of seem weirdly embarrassed about it. You’ll have to try to get them to talk whenever they come back.”

“Is Vaughn okay?”

“He’s still sleeping.”

Lorelei saw tears glistening in his eyes. He repeated, his voice quivering. “Is he okay?”

“Rhys, he just resting. Last time I tried to go into his room, there was a nurse standing outside and she told me that I couldn’t visit him yet.”

“Is _he_ okay?” The heart monitor began to ping louder as the lines oscillated.

“Rhys.” She placed her hands on his shoulders, easing him back down. “Don’t work yourself up. I’m sure he’s okay.”

“Go see? Please? For me...”

Lorelei pursed her lips together, knitting her brows. “Oh… alright. But you stay right here. If I see you trying to get up, I will toss you and wrap you up like a burrito.”

That got him to laugh a little. “Okay. You’re funny, Lorelei. I like you.”

“I like you too, Rhys.” Smiling, she walked out of the room and sneakily glanced over her shoulder to make sure he remained in bed. 

Rhys just smiled at her when he noticed, giggling again. He sat there, breathing in the silence with a lopsided smile on his face. He did think about getting up to stretch his legs. He also wanted another sip, but he couldn’t move his arm much since there was an IV stuck in there. If he tried to lean over with his cybernetic arm, he might knock it to the floor and start crying. Even though he was a little loopy from whatever they were injecting into his bloodstream, he could feel his emotions running in different directions inside his chest. He wanted to be outright pissed that he didn’t make his security safe enough. He wanted to be depressed and worried about the future. He wanted badly to be scared and in a way he was scared, but he was smiling like he had found another Vault. He wanted to slap himself out of it. He didn’t want to feel light and good; he wanted to get back to work and fix the systems. He wanted Vaughn. He wanted to see him again. He had to know he was okay. 

He jumped when he heard Lorelei’s voice and looked up at her with a face full of hope that was tragically met with a sullen frown. “I’m sorry, Rhys. They won’t let me in. They said that he’ll be healthy again soon.”

“They’ll let me in.” Grimacing, he forced his legs to slowly swing over the side and glared at Lorelei when she put her hands on him. He tried to shove her back with his robotic hand. “I want to see him.”

“I know you do, but slag me, you can’t get up yet! You’re still weak.”

“He could be in trouble…!”

“How the hell could he be in trouble at the ER?”

“Because! I know him.” He vainly pushed against her. Tears streamed down his face as the heart monitor increased in volume and speed. “Please, Lorelei! He _needs_ me in there. He needs to know that I’m okay…!”

She connected the dots and ceased struggling. “You think he’s gone feral?”

“He needs to see me, Lorelei. Please.”

Annoyed at the noise, she tore the finger sensor off and hoisted the CEO off the bed by lifting under his arm. “Alright, just lean onto me-- and grab your stand. There you go, Rhys. I got you. I’ll go slow.”

“Now everyone is going to think I’m dead.” He said with a slight chuckle, shuffling beside her. “You should have probably gotten a nurse first.”

“Do you want to see Vaughn or not?” She teased back.

“I’m just sayin’... They gonna get mad at youuuu.”

“It won’t be the first time. I decked one of the doctors in the face.”

“... What?”

“Yeah, it was after midnight, she was replacing my bag and all I could see was a silhouette, so I, yeah I punched her and tried to break out. I didn’t even get halfway down the hall before security knocked me out.”

“I’m amazed you didn’t stuff a syringe down her throat.”

“Probably good that I didn’t. I wouldn’t hear the end of it. You know, now you got me thinkin’... How would Vaughn feel about being a bodyguard instead?”

“I, uh… Can we not… talk about that?”

“Uh, yeah, that’s my fault. Sorry. I just mean that he did good out there… Oh, here we go.”

Rhys hummed lightly, lifting his head up to see a stout nurse rushing over to them.

“Hello again, Miss Nita.” Lorelei said in a chipper tone that the CEO snorted at. “I’ll just like to let you know that what I’m doing right now is all Rhys’ fault.”

“Thanks, Lorelei. I can always count on you.”

“He wants to see his boyfriend.”

Nita sighed, adjusting her cuffs nervously. “I’m sorry sir, but I can’t let you do that.”

“Hey,” Rhys slurred. “You give your CEO a straight answer. Why can’t I?”

“Vaughn, he’s, um...”

“Is he dead…?”

“No, no! He’s alive and ah, ever since he woke up, he hasn’t been… cooperative.”

“He’s feral?”

“Very. No one can get him to speak. He won’t listen. He just barks and growls when anyone gets too close. He won’t eat either.”

“Let me see him.”

“Mr. Strongfork, I--”

“I know you think what you’re doing is protecting me, but I have seen Vaughn like this before.”

“I know you have, Rhys… Ohh, alright.” She exhaled reluctantly as she helped the CEO walk. “But please, don’t get near him. He’ll start freaking out.”

“He knows me, Nita. He’ll be happy to see me.”

“Rhys, we’ve tried everything to calm him down. Showing pictures of you, your interviews, if anything see you has worsen his behavior.”

Lorelei bit her cheek in thought. “I wonder if it’s because he thinks Jack won.”

“We tried to tell him that everything was back to normal, but he can’t take it.”

Noticing Rhys was hunched over more than before, Lorelei nudged his ribs with her finger. “Hey. You okay?”

“I-I-I… He must be so scared. Oh, Vaughn...”

They stopped in front of particular door and Nurse Nita slowly opened it. “He’s awake. Bring him over.”

Lorelei guided the CEO inside the room. Poor Vaughn was actively writhing in his bed. His arms were restrained over his head and he had a…

Rhys felt a significant crack breaking through his heart. “You gave him a muzzle...?”

“He was attacking our nurses. Thankfully, no one got hurt too badly. It’s for his and our safety, sir… If you want to come back later, sir, I can let you know when he’s worn himself out.”

“No. I want you to take it off.” 

“Rhys.” Lorelei warned, gently pulling him back. “I know you think that’s a good idea but--”

“I know I can calm him down.” He looked at the nurse with a sweet smile. “I know he won’t hurt me.”

The nurse glanced at Vaughn then back to the CEO. “Are you sure you can’t calm him down with the muzzle on?”

“Yes, I’m sure I can’t. I’m not afraid of him. I trust him. Let go, Lorelei. I can do this.” Unwillingly, she obeyed. Hanging onto the IV stand, Rhys pushed himself over to the bed and hauled himself up with his good arm. He smiled up at the feral accountant, “Hey, buddy. It’s okay, I’m here.”

He stopped growling when his wild eyes laid upon him. His teeth still bared, Vaughn brought his legs up and stared at the CEO in puzzlement as he breathed heavily. He pressed on making eye contact with him as he drew closer. Vaughn looked absolutely frightened. He could hear his whimpering escaping from the back of his throat. His eyes kept darting behind him, at the nurse, at Lorelei.

“You’re in one of our emergency rooms, bro. Everything is okay now. Let’s get this awful muzzle off you.” He unhooked the buckle behind his head and carefully untangled his long locks that were coiled around the straps. “There, that’s got to feel better, huh--?”

Vaughn lunged and bit hard into his organic hand. Even when Rhys screamed, he snarled and kept him in his mouth, blood and saliva running down his chin. 

Rhys put his free hand out when he heard the feverish rush of feet closing in, making the accountant clamp down hard. “You’re freaking him out!”

“He’s biting your hand!” Nita barked in return. “He need anesthesia!”

“No, he doesn’t! He’s scared. Leave us alone.”

“Sir, I’m afraid I have to cross the line here--”

Lorelei gently took her by the arm. “You heard him, doc. Let’s leave the boys alone. Contact me when he’s cooled off, okay?”

Rhys gave her a grateful smile and waited until he heard the door shut behind him before focusing on his best friend. He breathed through the pain and tried not to be too nauseous at the sight of his blood. “Vaughn, the cruel doctor is gone now. You’re safe. You can let go.”

It was like his words merely went into one ear and out the other. Vaughn leered at him, growling.

“Buddy...” He placed his fingers through his hair and the accountant responded by pushing his teeth further into his skin. Rhys gasped through gritted teeth, squeezing his teary eyes shut. “Fuck, ow--! I’m not Jack! He’s gone. Katagawa’s gone. I can prove it to you! Owowowow. God, your teeth are sharp. Did you always have sharp teeth? Gah, ow. Uh… Oh, that is a lot of blood. Okay...”

“Uhh, uh, uh, uh, do you remember our first day on Helios? Me, you, Yvette… Augh, it felt like it was us against the world. Everything was so big and confusing… You know, I thought you were beginning to hate me after that first week. Hyperion really doesn’t ease you in. I hope it wasn’t like that for you here. I know I pushed you a bit, but it was because I was excited. I was so excited and worried about us on Helios, well, mostly for me and you. Yvette fit right in, but it didn’t feel like we belonged there, huh? My roommate was barely around. Yours was a douche, but you seemed to be okay with that. That’s what scared me, you know? I worry about you a lot. Things stick to you a lot more than they do to me. And then you started talking about us not being all bro-y like we used to be in college. I get now than I did back then. You were in love with me back then, weren’t you?” He was hoping for a core reaction but Vaughn didn’t give him one.

Rhys pressed on, trying to ignore the immense pain. “You wanted to make sure that I had a reputation to hold up and you took any fallback. You… you were kind of my punchingbag. I never liked that. You’ve been through a lot already, even before Helios. You deserve so much more and I should have been a better friend to you back then. I know I was trying but I could have tried more, you know? I needed you to feel like a million bucks, but I wasn’t… doing it right. At all. I think the sleepovers were a good idea but then we were starting to get really busy after Jack died. I think that changed me in ways that it shouldn’t but… I like to think I’ve grown since then. Thinking back on that now makes me… really stupid, like I did some really really dumb things, like why did I mix my whites that one time? I know I was lazy but I still should not have done that. Why did I put that chip into my brain? Why did I think _that_ was a good idea? It could have had a virus on it-- I guess, Jack could be considered a virus. But anyway, I uh, I’m getting off topic. I shouldn't have brought him up.”

“I don’t know if you noticed but I loved you too back then too, you know, in a romantic sense, like you. I just wasn’t that good at showing it. I wanted to rush it. I wanted to do everything with you but that was disrespectful towards you and, ah… I really didn’t want you to hate me. I wish I could have gone back and fix my mistakes, but as I’ve gotten older, I realize that it wouldn’t help me in the long run. I grew from my dumb decisions and I like to think that I actually made some good ones too. I mean, I hope that I’m good enough for you now that I’ve aged more.” His heart pounded against his ribcage when he saw Vaughn’s expression become softer. His jaw eased up on the bite but enough for Rhys to pull his hand out. His adoring smile grew.   
“I wanted to do so many things with you. Take on the world with you an-and, uh, in a way we did. We are certainly doing that now… I was so scared, Vaughn. I felt like I was reliving our time on Pandora. You remember when you jumped onto Vallory’s head? You saved my ass back there and you--you saved it again, but I was terrified for you. I wasn’t any help at all again. You have always gone out of your way to protect me, doing such stupid shit to keep me safe...” He sniffled, his vision blurry from how hard he was crying. “I wish I could return the favor. I wish I knew how to fight. I wish I wasn’t so anxious--! God, I couldn’t stand how you could keep going like that… I wanted to take you away from there and get off Promethea. You have to be hurting real bad right now… God, I wish I could so many things for you. I wish I could take this all away. If I could take any of this trauma away from you, I would, in a damn heartbeat. I want to see you smiling again. You know, that’s one of my favorite things about you? It’s so contagious. I love it when you smile.”

“I love you, Vaughn.” He stroked his hair. “Thank you for doing so much for me. Thank you for taking a chance. Thank you for being here with me… When you’re all better, I’m going to treat you to something nice. I’m going to make sure that you feel like a million bucks. I’m going to make you sick from being around me, okay? I love you.”

Vaughn’s soft whimpers turned into loud desperate whines. He released his hand and sobbed. Rhys leaned over him and released him from his strains, to which Vaughn thanked him by pulling him down on top of him. He took his injured hand and apologetically licked the blood off, keening. “I’m sorryyy! I’m so sorry, Rhys. I’m so sorryyy… Oh goood, I’m so sorry, Rhysss...”

“I love you so much, Vaughn.” He lightly kissed his forehead and nuzzled into his hair. “Everything is going to be okay now. I’ll keep you safe.”

“I’m so sorry-- I’m really, really, really sorryy…! I thought you were-- I thought that… you got…!” He wept, wheezing for air.

“I am never letting him back into my body. He’s gone. For good.”

Vaughn clutched his gown, crying into his neck. “I thought I lost you… I keep dreaming about you dying or Jack taking over. I thought it was real. I thought you were gone. I couldn’t help it...”

“I thought I was going to lose you too. I missed you.”

“I’m sorry for biting you. I thought Jack was coming in to kill me… and then you started talking and… Oh, god--!”

“Vaughn, shhhshsh, it’s okay. I’m here.”

“I’m so so sorry.”

“I forgive you, man. It’s okay. It really is. I was traumatized too. I kept… seeing and hearing things that weren’t there for a long time. I couldn’t feel anything. I couldn’t think.”

“Rhys?”

“I’m okay now. Yeah...” He cradled his best friend and heaved a heavy sigh. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Please don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going to.” He kissed his temple and adjusted his body so that his leg wasn’t falling asleep. Vaughn grabbed the blanket and pulled it over Rhys’ shoulder before embracing him again. Rhys snuggled into him, feeling right at home. “How’s your neck?”

“It could be better. I think I opened the stitches back up a couple of times.”

“Oh, Vaughn… They should have put us in the same room.”

“I don’t know if that would have helped or not… but um, nothing’s broken, right?”

“No. If I did break something, I’m too drugged up to feel it.”

“Please don’t joke about that.”

“Sorry. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“... I still can’t believe that happened… and I had no idea. I thought Katagawa was dead but he must have been behind that scandal. I think he was trying to get me alone.”

Vaughn made a little concerned noise. “I’m sorry for trying to argue with you… about Jack. Just so you know, you’re not the king of bad decisions. You’re right. You have made good decisions too… like asking me to stay here. I… don’t want to think about what could have happened if I wasn’t here.”

“We were both on edge, man. I don’t want to think about... What I do want to think about is what you want to do when we get out of here. Actually...”

“What?”

“Do you think they won’t catch us if we snuck out of here?”

“Rhyyyysss. That’s not a good idea.”

“What? Then we can look up at the stars together and cuddle, maybe even kiss. I never kissed a pretty boy like you before.”

Vaughn giggled. “Rhys, I kind of have your blood on my face.”

“... I meaaaaaaannn...”

“Oh my _god_, Rhys, would it kill you to have standards?”

“I do have standards! My standards are my best friend in the whole wide world: Vaughn.”

“You are so drugged… but that’s still really sweet if not a little gross.”

“You’re gross. You’re wearing my blood.”

“That’s what I was just...” Vaughn shook his head. “I love you.”

“I love you too. You’re the best… So where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere with you is fine with me.”

“You wanna show me around Pandora?”

“Noooo, we are not doing that.”

“Isn’t that your home?”

“This is home. Right here. You’re my home.” He hummed when Rhys kissed his head. “Sure, I miss Pandora, but I am not leading you to psycho central. I think we both have had our share of psychos recently.”

“Man, tell me about it. I wanna eat, like, real food. I want to eat crates of frogurt.”

“Rhys, how the hell do you even jump into these thoughts? We weren’t talking about food.”

“Bro, I’m so hungry.”

“You’re always hungry.”

“Mmm, true. Oh right, I was supposed to call Loreeee.. Lorelee...le..lie. God, talking is hard.” 

“You’re cute.”

“Yaaaay. Okey-- uh.” He squinted at his contact list. He was still having trouble reading so he focused on the profile photos until he found Lorelei. “There we go. Hi, Lee.”

“Hi, Lorelei.” Vaughn greeted.

“Heyy, you feelin’ better, Vaughn?”

“Mmmhm.”

“He just needed a strong dose of Vitamin Me - Rhys _Strong_fork.”

“Was that trying to be a pun?”

“Can we have food?”

“I don’t think so-- I am being told that I am correct. You need to slowly get back onto eating solids.”

“But frogurt is kind of liquid.”

“I’ll run that under advisement, Mr. CEO. I take it you and Vaughn want to share a room?”

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, I can see with my two eyes that you’re cuddling when you’re not supposed to be doing that, _Rhys_. You still have an IV in your arm.”

“But I need my Vaughnamin.” He smiled at the sound of Vaughn’s childish laughter, repeating the word to himself.

“Slag me. You’re both useless.” 

“You looooove us. Hey, hey, hey, hey Lorelei. Hey. Hey. Hey.”

She vainly held back her giggling, “Yes, Rhys? I’m right here.”

“You should find Zer0 for me. I wanna see them.”

“They’re actually standing beside me right now… Yeah, go on, I’ll be there in a tic. Hold on, what’s in the bag? Zer0? Zer0, I can clearly see the big ass bag you’re holding. What is tha-- let me see what’s in the bag, Zer0. I don’t need another person breaking rules here while I trying to settle-- Zer0, did you get him food?”

“My maaaaaan!” Rhys cheered, punching his robot arm into the air, “Please, please tell me you got bagels. I’m really craving bagels.”

“Zer0, he can’t eat half of those things yet. I--...” There was another voice that neither of the boys could make out. Lorelei’s much louder voice made them jump. “Okay, I’ll let them know. Rhys, you and Vaughn can have frogurt. Zer0’s bringing it to you now.”

“Yes! Ohhh, you guys are awesome. I have the best team ever. You are coming back right?”

Her voice sounded a bit flustered. “I am, give me five.”

“Okaaaay, I can save you some?”

“It’s all yours, Rhys. Don’t worry about me.”

“Your loss.” He closed the call and squeezed the accountant. “Today’s a good day, huh, Vaughn?”

“It definitely has gotten better...” Vaughn returned with a relaxed exhale. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me too-- I mean, I’m glad you’re okay too, because you’re my best friend and I like you a whole lot.”

“Me too.” He gave him a playful smile. “Do you think we should start dating?”

“Oh, absolutely. I think we should start living together too. Is that too forward?”

“I don’t think so. We’ve done it before.”

“You’re right… You are absolutely right. Man, you’re just… you’re great.”

“You’re great too, I guess.”

“Pfff, thanks.” He peppered his cheek with sloppy kisses which earned him a wonderful laugh that made him feel like a new man.


End file.
